Running
by iMakeYouNoPromises
Summary: AU and OCC Modern Day. She didnt know who she was without him. After her fathers death Katniss didnt know who she was suppose to be anymore. With nothing holding her back she gets in her car and drives away not looking back. She only wants to find herself but when she meets Cato along the way her life just may change forever.
1. A Small Goodbye

I do not own the Hunger Games characters.

Enjoy! :)

* * *

I didn't think twice or even look back as I get in my car to drive away from the city I've called home for 18 years now. I can't bear to stay here and now after today I have nothing holding me here any longer.

Still in my graduation gown and heels I drive around the long highways and streets of this city until they take me to the one last place I want to be before I leave for good. It won't take long for my phone to begin to ring so I make sure I turn it off. No one is changing my mind and I need to put enough distance between myself and this city before someone has a chance to catch me.

I didn't know what to do anymore, I did everything to make my father proud and with his death he left me with the money hungry rats he has always called family. I always so past their fake smiles and false love for me and my father as I'm sure he did as well, but he always stressed that no matter what they were indeed our family and he would not turn his back on them because of it. The money is the only reason they will stop what they are doing to look for me. I have all the money, all the estates, all the stocks and bond, all the companies, all the property, it had all been left to me and each one of those low life sorry bastards wants it for themselves. It's the reason why they had all of a sudden become so nice and caring. When my father's accident happened they had no idea he had left it all to me, I'm guessing he made them think otherwise. That's daddy for you. I would sign it all over to charity before I let any of their stingy finger touch anything that was his. He gave most of them the easy life, giving them jobs at his companies or giving them ins with other companies. They all mooched off of him and I hated that he would tolerate it for the most part.

I pull over, finally getting to the last place I want to see before leaving this city for good. I grab my graduation cap while kicking off my heels. I walk barefoot so I can feel the frigid wet grass between my toes. It's a fitting day really, dark and gloomy with the cold rain coming and going as it pleases.

I stop in front of his tombstone letting my fingers trace his name several times. I want to cry for him but daddy wouldn't have wanted that so I hold back my tears.

"I graduated today Daddy. It was chaos really, there were far too many people were there. I gave the speech I rehearsed with you. The first speech. It was your favorite of the three." I must look silly standing here in the cold talking to a tombstone but I don't let it stop me and I continue to talk to him for the last time. "I'm leaving today Daddy…I have to go. I don't know where though, I just know I have to leave." I can almost feel the way he would look at me if he were standing in front of me. I know he wouldn't like me running off like I am, but I don't know what else to do. Not now, I need time. I need space for everyone and everything I know. I don't need to say anything else to him, that's all I wanted and needed to say. I slip out of my graduation gown and lay it over his tombstone setting the matching cap on top of it. He would have wanted them. I stand there in my navy blue cocktail dress letting the cold nip at my exposed skin and one last time trace his name with my fingers.

"Katniss?" I jump at the sound of her voice not having realized that she was there behind me. "I've been looking for you my dear." It figures that Sae would know where to find me; she practically raised me and knows me better than anyone else. Even those few people I call friends don't know me half as well as she does.

"I'm leaving." I say as I turn to face her just as it starts to rain again. She's always prepared and she lets up her umbrella so that it hangs over us.

"I figured as much. Can I convince you to stay?"

"No."

"Didn't think so." She steps forward and embraces me for only a few seconds knowing I'm not too fond of being touched. "I'll take care of the house and anything else you need me too. Now you better call me every couple of days so I know you're alright or I'll call you in as a missing person." I nod in agreement to her terms and she smiles at me as I do.

"You're going to miss a glamorous graduation party." I could care less about the graduation party; I've never enjoyed all the attention. She knows this though and she brings it up because it started an hour ago now. She's telling me that everyone's probably already out looking for me and if I'm going to leave I need to do it now.

Sae walks me to my car under her umbrella, opening the door I slide into the driver's seat and start the engine.

"I love you Katniss." I don't trust my voice enough to respond and she knows me well enough not to take my solemn smile the wrong way. She smiles back and closes my door then taking a few steps back to watch me leave.

I don't have the slightest idea as to where I'm running to but I don't let that stop me. I just drive getting lost in the memories that I cherish most.

* * *

I have kinda fallen in love with the Cato and Katniss pairing and wanted to write something of my own. It was hard though because it seemed like every idea was being used and very well written if I do say so myself so I decided to go with an AU Cato and Katniss story.

This is just a small intro so let me know what you think, and if enough people enjoy the idea I will continue.

-CM


	2. A Girly Princess

I do not own the Hunger Games characters.

Enjoy! :)

* * *

"That should be no problem Miss Everdeen. Just give me a few minutes."

The first thing that needed to be done if I truly wanted to escape was changing my number. Once I turned my phone on for directions it exploded with notifications of texts voicemails emails, everything really. Not to mention that now days you can track someone down if you know their number and I wouldn't put it past the money hungry bunch I felt behind. So changing my number was really the best option, getting a new phone too helped me with the beginnings of my fresh start.

"Please, call me Katniss." all the Miss and Ma'am stuff gets under my skin and makes me feel twice my age. They really can't help it though, it's known that my father was a very powerful and wealthy man and once someone recognize my name everything always becomes more bubbly and cheery. I tire of all the flattery for the sake of my name and bank account. Maybe going by a different name for awhile would help me keep such unwanted attention away for awhile until I get my head and thoughts together.

"Well Katniss looks like your all set. Here is your new phone number and your new phone." My new blackberry is so much lighter than the iPhone I am use to using but I really didn't like the thing anyways, far too many issues. He points out my new number to me and I thank him for all his help before leaving.

I wish I could keep this number away from anyone and everyone but I know I will need to contact Boggs to let him know he will be taking my father's place in my absence until further notice. Boggs has probably figured this out but a quick email to him should be enough for no one to question him. I also promised Sae she would receive occasional updates letting her know I'm fine. Then there's Prim, I know she'll keep my number to herself and I really should let her know not to worry, she know me enough though to know not too.

I'm at my car before I even notice the man that's crouched down beside it and looks to be inspecting my wheels. I can't blame him really this car attracts a lot of attention from guys who know there stuff. "This car isn't very fitting for a girly girl such as yourself." He doesn't even look at me and it takes every ounce of my self control not to push this guy away from my car with the way he says girly. I remind myself that this fool doesn't know anything about me. Maybe I should just run him over him instead, the thought makes me smile.

"Who says I'm girly." This car had been my father's very first car, he bought it with his own money and we restored it together in our spare time. It took years because we never had much of that. All the memories this car holds is why I chose to take it instead of my usual Audi.

"The dress." He points out reminding me that I really should stop somewhere and buy something more comfortable to wear. I decide its best to ignore anything else he says and get into the car, he's sure to get the idea and step away before his toes get crushed. I scan my surroundings quickly, there has to be some sort of clothing store around here. But looking around a second time I don't spot anything clothing related everything is all restaurants and grocery stores. I pull out my new blackberry thinking I can just look it up and I let out a sigh in frustration realizing the thing still has to be charged before I can use it. I toss the useless device in the passenger seat while I climb back out of my car intending on going back in the phone store to ask directions. "Lost?"

I turn to see that the guy didn't get my hint and was now standing closer to the hood tracing fingers along the trim. Standing I see just how tall he is and even in my heels my head barely passes his shoulders. "Seriously can you just stop touching my car?"

For the first time that I've noticed he actually looks up at me. Well geez of course this strange weirdo had to be unbelievably good looking. His blonde hair clean cut and styled to perfection and piercing ice blue eyes that look as if they could see straight through me. Looking closer at him I see the ends of a tattoo that peek out from under the edges of his shirt sleeve. From here it looks like he's all muscle and his arms show it more as he places his hands up so I can see them in a mocking fashion."You got it princess." he says tauntingly. First with the girly now he's calling me princess, it's all too much from this unknowing fool. He really has no right to stand here touch my car and be so rude to me.

"I'll show you princess if you touch my car one more time." I take a few intimidating steps towards him leaving only a few feet between us but it doesn't seem to faze him. It has to be the dress I think. My eyes widen in shock as he holds up one finger and slowly brings it down to my car while he smiles smugly down at me.

This isn't me, I wouldn't normally act like this but before I can stop my actions I launch myself at the man and I'm able to tackle him to the ground with out as much trouble as I would have thought it would have been. It seems as if this girly princess has caught him off his guard.

He lies under me and laughs at my little stunt until my fist makes contact with his face. He realizes then that I'm not just some pretty little girly girl with a nice car. I hear shouts from behind us but I pay them no mind as I manage to land one more punch before he grabs my forearms and holds them away from him. He easily flips me off of him so he is now sitting on top of me pressing his hips into mine so I can't move. And now I'm screwed. What the hell was I thinking, this guy has to be like 4 of me, and I'm no match for him. Hearing distant sirens we both realize someone has called the cops on us. He releases me and we both scramble to our feet. As soon as I'm standing I feel the pain in my back from the amount of force he used to flip me over, and I want to yell at him for being such an ass, but I really have no room to talk.

"Can you actually drive this thing?" He asks rounding the car to the passenger side. He can't seriously think I will let him in my car after what just happened. I wonder for a moment why he would want to leave, I would be the one to get arrested for this not him there are plenty of witnesses to defend that. The sirens are getting closer and fast, being arrested would put a dent in my little road trip so I decide not to protest and figure I will just dump him in an ally or something. "Shut up and just get in." I'll show this guy how a car like this is really meant to be driven.

I don't give him time to put his seatbelt on before I peel out of the parking lot rounding the first corner I see just so his head will slam into the window. "Goddamn it!" I don't stop myself from letting a smirk play across my lips in satisfaction. He doesn't waste anymore time after that to put his seatbelt on but even so I try one more time with one last sharp corner and a quick break hoping he hits himself again. He expects it now and holds on pulling himself in the opposite direction so I don't get the pleasure of causing him anymore pain. Pulling over I throw the car into park about five miles from the phone store parking lot. "Not bad." I look at him for a second and realize my punches didn't even leave the tiniest of bruises on his face. They're only slightly red and even that's fading. How is that even fair, I'm sure my back is purple from the force he used to slam me into the pavement.

"Out." He turns and stares out the window not moving to get out.

"Don't you want directions?" I nearly slump back in my seat. I forgot that he had already caught on that I wasn't from around here. I look around not having the slightest clue where I am, why the hell did I not pay attention to where I was going, that isn't like me but then again I've never ran from the cops before either. Great I'm lost with a hot strange weirdo who I attack for no good reason. Just perfect. "Where are you going?" He finally asks sensing my defeat. If we weren't in this car I would probably punch him again for the smug look he's giving me right now.

"I need clothes." If I could just get somewhere with actual decent people than I could ask for directions there and not have to worry about the hot asshole in my passenger seat anymore.

"More girly clothes?" He waves to my dress that I just noticed has worked its way up my thighs when I got in the car in such a hurry. I quickly push it down hating that I just now noticed. This dress is much too short for my liking anymore sitting next to this guy.

I need something more comfortable, "Real clothes."

He raises an eyebrow at me almost surprised. He actually thought this fancy cocktail dress was the kind of thing I wore all the time. "Alright then, get back on the road and go straight for about two miles." He points to the road again not looking at me. I am beginning to find it infuriating that it seems so hard for him to look at me for more than a few seconds. "You can drop me back off at the phone store you kidnapped me from when you're done with your shopping."

I can't hold back the small snort of a laugh that comes because of his last comment. This guy really is something. "Kidnapped?" I mutter but he doesn't say anything and goes about ignoring me only point to tell me which direction to drive.

"Turn left here; there is an Old Navy on the right." Old Navy wouldn't be my first choice or any choice really but I can get a pair of jeans and a T-shirt in here that will due until I decide to stop again. I don't bother wasting time in the store with scrounging around for the perfect outfit, there really is no hope of that here, and grab a pair of pants from the first rack I see and I simple blueish grey V-neck T-shirt. I pay for them and change not bothering to bring the ruined stain dress and discard it in the trash as I walk out.

We drive in silence again with him point to which way I should go and it doesn't take long for us to get back to where we originally met. I sit there waiting for him to get out scanning the place again. The highway isn't too far from here and I know how to get back to it from here. I really should stop in the next city for the night but I'm not sure if I will yet or not, all this driving has relaxed me.

"What are you running from?" I turn my attention to him stunned that he's still sitting there and staring at me lost in my own thoughts.

"Why would you say that?" I have to look away from him, I can leave my face blank but this guy seems smarter than most others and he may see right through me.

"It's obvious to me really, but maybe because I've been there before myself." I'm curious as to what he would ever run from maybe more cops. For a short second I think we may have more in common than I thought at first. It still doesn't change the fact that he is a complete ass.

I decide it's best not to let my curiosity to get the best of me and change the subject back to him leaving, "Where's your car?" the car lot is almost empty and the cars that I do see don't really seem to be anything I could imagine him driving. Really I shouldn't imagine him driving anything, I know nothing about him.

"Don't have one." Well that's a bit vague but I don't push for an explanation. He looks to be thinking about his next move, maybe where he's going. Is he still running, I wonder to myself? No car and looking about as lost as I was not long ago. But that really can't be, he gave me directions himself.

I curse myself for being raised to do the right thing. I guess the least I could do is give him a ride it will be getting dark soon and it would be wrong to leave him like this, "Where are you going?"

He shrugs and opens the door to leave."Where ever I feel like." He couldn't have walked here from too far. It's hot here and he looks too clean to have walked much, his clothes are nice and he smells fresh like he just walked out of a shower. He's not from here though he's making that much clear.

I realize I'm examining him far too much for my comfort and turn away before he catches me if he hasn't already. "You can ride with me until my next stop if you want." I can live with this guy for a few more hours if he stays quite, the next city is only 3 ½ hours away.

I can feel him watching me but I don't bother to look back at him. I m not going to try and persuade this guy to let me give him a ride, if he wants one than he can take my offer and if not, well, it's probably better. "You really are an intriguing girl." He says while closing the door accepting my offer.

I'm stunned for a moment by his words, he sounds so curious…too curious. But in the short time he has been around me I think I have proven to be nothing like he thought I was from first glance and for that I feel almost proud.

"Cato," I finally turn to him just as he turns his eyes away from me and back out the window. "My name is Cato."

His unasked question floats in the air and I don't know if I should answer. I know nothing about this guy and I've just agreed to give him a ride for reasons I really can't explain. No, he doesn't need my name, not my real name anyways. "Kate." I finally answer turning out of the parkinng lot. Kate doesnt sound too bad and I feel like I sounded believable but then again this guy is smarter than most of the peole I'm use to having to fool.

"Kate." He tries the name out and as soon as he does I dont have to look at him to know he has already figured out I'm lying.

* * *

Chatpter One is finally up. Sorry it has taken so long to get posted.

Thank you for the reviews follows and alerts!

I know this is a different kind of Catniss story but really that was the whole purpose of me starting it in the first place. :) Please let me know what your thoughts are so far by reviewing.

Laters

-CM


	3. Ghosts

I do not own the Hunger Games characters.

Enjoy! :)

* * *

The drive is smooth and thankfully Cato hasn't said a word since we left the last town 3 hours ago. It's getting late and my eyes are becoming harder to keep open, I'm going to have to stop for the night soon. I turn the air up hoping the cold will keep me up until we reach the next city. The last sigh we pasted said 15 more miles, I can make it.

"Do you listen to music?" I jump startled by the sound of his voice. I noticed an hour ago his knee stared bouncing and now he can't seem to manage to keep his hands still. I guess sitting still and quiet isn't his thing and is beginning to get to him.

"I like the quiet better." he can live for 15 or 20 more minutes like this besides there really isn't much that I like to listen to and I doubt we have the same taste in music. I wouldn't want to get into an argument about music and have to throw him out of a moving car. He's been tolerable for this long and I don't want to chance messing that up.

I pull into a hotel parking lot and Cato looks surprised by the placed I picked to stay. He looks just as tired as I feel so he should be grateful with any place I pick since I've decided to be nice enough to get his a room for the night as well. He doesn't say anything and climbs out of the car with me scanning the area we have stopped in. He digs a phone out of his pocket dials a number and walks the opposite direction. He has the right idea and I decide that I need to make a few calls myself.

I type up and send a brief and to the point email to Boggs who I will call and confirm with later but for now the only person I really want to talk to is Prim.

The phone only rings once before she answers sounding cautious because of the strange number. "Pri-"

"Katniss! You called! I knew you would call! Where are you?" She's squealing not bothering to take a breath between her words. I can just imagine her bouncing around as she does this not caring what anyone around her thinks.

I'm relieved that she doesn't seem to have worried too much about me just as I thought she would. "That's not really important. Tell me about Colorado, do you love it?"

Her best friend have a family vacation in Colorado every year after school lets out and invited her to come along when they started making all the plans in January. Daddy told her it depended on her grades so she pushed herself and worked that much harder. He never got a chance to give her an answer but I already knew he was going to let her go. Plus I think she needed to get away after all that has happened in the last few months so I insisted she go and have fun.

"Yes! Oh Katniss it's the most fun I've had in forever!"

"That's good to hear Little Duck."

She gets quiet thinking about what she's about to ask me and when she does speak she is hesitant "Did you let me come so you could leave?" she sounds hurt and it breaks my heart that she thinks I would send her away so I would have an excuse to leave she should know that I would never do something like that to her. In fat I know that if there was no trip to Colorado for her I would have never even imagined leaving like I did.

"No...I didn't really plan this." it's the truth, graduation was harder than I thought it would be without him there to watch me make my speech or walk the stage. It broke me in a way I didn't care to acknowledge. I couldn't stay there anymore I was everything he wanted me to be and now with him gone I didn't know who I should be anymore.

"Have you talked to mom? Or Sae?" The mention of our mother brings a wave of anger over me. The woman disgusted me the way she abandoned us after daddy's accident. She was just like the rest of them in my eyes with the way she acted after daddy died. She was infuriated when she discovered everything was left to me the only thing in her name was the life insurance and once she got it she just packed up and left. We came home one day to find her gone with nothing but a note leaving Sae with all the responsibility to care for Prim and I. Sae told me once that it was too hard on her seeing me and Prim, we reminded her too much of him, but that was not an excuse I was willing to accept. What mother leaves her children in such a way as she did? She assumed that the occasional calls with the lies of why she left was enough to convince us she had a real reason to leave. She may have been able to get Prim to believe her but not me. I will never forgive her for leaving us that way when we needed her the most.

Prim knows I have no reason to speak to her and I'm about to scold her when I notice Cato walking back in my direction. This really isn't a conversation I want him to overhear. "Hey Prim I have to go but I promise to call again soon." I silently scold myself for saying her name and hope that he's still far enough away that he didn't catch it. I'm not ready to tell him who I am I might not ever have to. I plan on dropping him off somewhere in the morning and the two of us going our separate ways though I don't really know where he would go, but that really isn't my problem.

"I love you Katniss, Please be safe."

"You too Little Duck."

I don't bother to acknowledge him as I walk right past him and into the main lobby of the hotel. I need a shower and sleep and this place was the best in the area and will have to do for tonight.

"I need two rooms please." I pull my ID out with one of my cards hoping I can get these rooms paid for before he comes in.

I'm just about to hand them over when he steps next to me and I jerk them back before the receptionist has time to take the from me. He stares at me curious by my actions. I know he knows I was lying about my name but that doesn't mean I have to tell him my real one. "What are you doing?" he finally questions after staring at me for too long.

_Idiot._ He can't really be this oblivious. "I need sleep." I put simply.

He shoos the receptionist away by waving his hand in her direction not even bothering to look at her. She huffs quite annoyed with how rude he is but walks away anyhow giving us a minute. "I get that but here?" he leans himself on the desk propped up by his elbows as he watches me waiting for my answer.

"Why not?" I say defensively, he couldn't possibly have a problem with this place.

He snorts while glancing around the large lobby "A runaway with money...that's a new one." He pushes himself back up but he doesn't get far as I shove him right back into the desk and again he seems unglazed by my attack. _He's just too big_.

"I'm not a runaway!"

"Right." he says unconvincingly and steps around me looking around the large room again. "I'm guessing you're use to staying in places like this when you travel." I stand there shocked for a moment having not of thought of it that way. To me though this place isn't as nice as what I'm use to but its better than half the other places the small city has to offer. I've made it obvious to him that he's right with my silence so he continues "That's what I thought. How about you try something...different."

The way he says something different suggest that he thinks that I don't know how to stray from my comfort zone of the things I'm use to. I can tell he already has something else in mind from the sly grin he lets me catch a glimpse of has as he walks past me to leave.

"And where do suggest we sleep?" I ask following him out. Different wouldn't be bad, in fact I think I need different but putting so much trust in Cato still doesn't seem like one of my best ideas. I have a feeling this is one of those things I will look back on and regret.

"Drive, I'll tell you where to go." he instructs while he climbs in the car. I stand there for a second thinking over this choice once more. My conscience is screaming at me to run in the opposite direction of Cato but I've done the right thing all my life and right now I want to do something different for a change. I climb in the drivers' seat and pull out of the parking lot before I have a chance to change my mind. He isn't smug about my decision to agree to this and just points me in the right direction.

It takes a good 45 minutes to get to the old house we pull up to. It's up an old dirt road and surrounded by at least 15 acres of thick woods unless you knew what you were looking for you would never know the place was even here. Just looking at the house from the safety of my car sends an uneasy chill down by back. I'm exhausted but even so the place is creepy and I'm ready to turn around and drive back to the hotel. "What is this place?"

"A haunted bed and breakfast." he says with ease getting out of the car. _A haunted house, oh you have to be kidding me!_ I waste no time and jump out of the car to follow him closely not feeling comfortable with being left alone. He looks back at me and I can tell he is expecting me to turn and run as far away from this place as I can the first chance I get. _It's just a house_, I tell myself as I push past him to walk up the uneven stairs. _It's just one night...one night._

The sign on the porch tells us to just come in and we step into the creaking house. An older woman wearing an old timey floor length dress with her hair looking messing from working maybe sits on the far side of the room in a rocker looking as creepy as the rest of this place. Seeing us she stands and quickly makes her way over, greeting us warmly. "I need two rooms for the night please."

"Oh Hunny I'm sorry but we only have one more room available tonight." I roll my eyes and look up at Cato. Of course there's only one room. He just shrugs and walks around the room stopping and looking at each of the accident pictures that hang on the wall.

"I'll take it." I say in defeat pulling my card out for her and quietly instructing her that I'm not to be called by my name while I'm here. This doesn't seem like a strange request to her as she rings me up and hands my card back to me just as Cato comes back into the main room with us.

She only gives directions to our room and we have to make our way through the dimly lit house on our own which only makes this whole place and her seem that much creepier.

Our room is at the top of the stairs and is larger than I anticipated it to be. There's a queen bed with a couch across from it a private bathroom and door that leads out to a balcony. All the furniture and bedding looks to be antique, making it all look like a picture from someone's distant past.

At least he doesn't have to sleep on the floor. "You can sleep on the couch." he goes straight to it probably knowing that's what I would say and as soon as he sits a soft gust of air passes through the room. I have to tell myself that it's just the air conditioner kicking on. "You don't really believe this place is haunted do you?"

He just shrugs relaxing back into the couch "You'll see."

Of course this weirdo would pick a place like this to stay I bet he is finding this all funny. I roll my eyes at him and step out on the balcony to make a call.

"Boggs."

"Katniss!" he says sounding relieved but I don't feel u to getting sentimental right now.

"Did you receive my email?" he can hear my seriousness and becomes serious as well.

"Yes and thank you for your trust but Katniss I know he would want you here doing this instead, with guidance of course." I want to deny it but I know it's true, he wanted me to take his place one day I just didn't realize it would have be so soon. He would always tell me that I still had so much to learn but he would also tell me I was the only one in the family that would be able to handle taking over his place when he retired. We are so much alike, were his words to me.

I don't feel like getting into any of that so I change the subject, "Will the email be enough." I know he is going to get crap if he hasn't already from my family. I'm sure they think that since I'm gone and they can't reach me that they have a right to take over things.

"For 90 days."

I let out a sigh, I knew I would have to go back and sooner than 90 days really because Prim will be home in a month. I still wanted more time, "That's long enough I suppose."

"Katniss..." he pauses losing his business like tone."I understand why you're doing this. Listen I have the house in Oregon, you know the one. we won't be using it at all this summer and I'm sure you remember all the codes." I smile into the phone at his generous offer. I remember his Oregon home well, many times both our families would go and stay for a short getaway. I remember fondly all the times me and Gale spent exploring the large city. We ended up lost on more than one occasion but in the process found amazing places we would have never known existed.

"Thank you Boggs."

"Please let me know if you need anything at all. You are like a daughter to me...he would want me to look after you."

I know he is being honest but this is getting to emotional for me so again I change the subject, "Update me via email weekly and call if there is an emergency."

"Of course."

I start to hang u but all the thoughts of Gale remind me that I will have to tell Boggs not to give him this number. "And Boggs no one is to have this number not even Gale." I know Gale will give me some sort of lecture when I do get home but I need distance from everyone at home including him.

"I understand but you should know he's worried sick about you." I can tell he doesn't like the idea of keeping this from his son but I know he will at least tell him he knows I'm fine and that should be enough to calm Gale down some. I say a quick goodbye and go back inside locking the balcony door behind me.

I turn around in time to see Cato is just coming out of the bathroom from taking a shower with only his pants on. He runs the towel over his wet hair then lies back on the couch not bothering to put his shirt back on. I have to distract myself to keep from staring so I sit on the bed and busy my mind sorting through my email.

I can feel him watching me and I know he is purposely trying to make me uncomfortable and it works quickly. I decide to take a shower to get away from his stare. "Is this always how you are?" he asks just before I close the bathroom door.

"What do you mean?"

"Uptight. Controlled. Quiet." I wonder again why I have talked myself staying the night with this ass but as I open my mouth the lights flicker and it's followed by another soft gust of wind.

"What was that?" I say sounding more scared than I would like him to know.

"Oh you know one of the spirits that haunt this house." he relaxes back into the couch propping his feet up and closes his eyes like stuff like this happens all the time.

I stand there for a second watching the room not really sure what I'm waiting for when there's a creaking from right outside our door that nearly makes me jump. "Ok that's it I'm sleeping in my car." I can't sleep in a place like this and I need my sleep if I want to be able to drive in the morning.

I go to collect my purse and phone but Cato has already gotten up and is blocking my path to the bed. "Do you run from everything that scares you?" I stand there and stare at him in shock. I'm not scared that's not why I left home and I won't let him sit here and judge me like this. This guy thinks in the short time he has spent with me that he knows something about me but who wouldn't be freaked out by a haunted house.

"I'm not running." it's not what I meant to say and I sure didn't mean to sound so fragile but I don't say anything else. I reach past him to grab my phone and go lock myself in the bathroom. I can only hope he is asleep by the time I'm done in here so I don't have to deal with him anymore tonight.

* * *

Yes Katniss wants to ditch Cato after just one day with him but dont you worry your pretty little heads about that, these things tend to work themselves out. ;)

Im going on a trip so next update wont be until Monday or Tuesday.

Leave me your thoughts!

Laters

-CM


	4. The Forest

I do not own the Hunger Games characters.

Enjoy! :)

* * *

I slept better than I'd imagined I would. I was only woken up three times by the ghost house that Cato chose for us to stay in. He, however, never woke up once because of the strange noises and chills. I wanted to throw my shoe at his head for being able to sleep so easily. Even with being pissed off at him, it was hard not to stare at him when I woke up. He looked so different it's like a younger more peaceful version of the Cato I have been around.

I've washed my face to wake myself up and hope wearing these clothes again doesn't make me smell bad. The first thing I want to do is go shopping. Wearing the same outfit two days in a row feels a lot worse than expected.

Cato does the same—spending the same amount of time in the bathroom as me if not less. We have said less than five words to each other by the time we walk down stairs for breakfast with the four other people who had the balls to stay the night here too. I wonder periodically if he ever really talks, and I can almost bet he asks himself the same question to himself about me. I think it's why I haven't really tried to kill him; we're more alike than I care to admit.

A feast of a breakfast is served on the long antique dining room table, and not long after we begin to fill our plates, the owners of the house excuse themselves from the room. As soon as they're gone the couple that sits across from Cato and me tells me that the house is rigged—none of the noises, winds, or moving chairs are real. I get chills when he mentions moving chairs. I hadn't seen anything like that while we've been here, and I find myself wanting to rush through my food to get away from this place, even if it was all a hoax. I get a small sample of what Cato must look like when he's mad as he tells the guy to shut up and keep his opinions to himself. The treat behind his growled words are as obvious to the young man as they are to me and everyone else at the table. He cowers away from Cato's intense glare and stares at his plate in silence the rest of the meal. I hear Cato mumble something about the ass trying to ruining it for everyone but I think I might have been the only one to have heard him because no one says a word. That might have more to do with the fact that he just scared the shit out of everyone else at the table though. I can't say I was, though. I almost expectant that his actions were just Cato being more himself than he has been the whole time I've spent with him. He seems to be content with the new quiet that has fallen over the room and continues to eat while everyone else makes sure they look everywhere but in our direction hurrying through their food.

We don't have any luggage to collect, so once I'm done eating I head straight to my car. I debate just leaving Cato here. I mean, I'm sure he could have a cab called out here. I think I've convinced myself as I put the key in the ignition just as he steps out of the house with the older couple that owns the place. I hadn't seen them since they left us all to eat our breakfast and I feel almost bad that I hadn't thanked them for our stay, even if it all just freaked me out.

I watch them for a few moments, and at first I think this must be an illusion of some sort caused by the ghost house. That, or my eyes are playing tricks one me. The Cato talking with the elderly couple is nothing like the Cato I've seen. He's being nice, laughing at something they said, and as he goes to leave the old woman pulls him into a hug. I can tell it makes him uncomfortable, but he doesn't push her away and pats the woman on her back stiffly. When she releases him the man says something to Cato then slaps him on the back, making them both laugh.

Defeated, I let out a small sigh, I can't leave him now.

He looks up in the direction of where I'm parked before he starts down the steps to walk this way. I think he's surprised that I'm still here, and he smiles a tiny smile just briefly before his face is blank again. He's back to being the Cato I know as he gets in the car without a word to me.

We sit there in the awkward silence for a few minutes before I finally speak up. "Where do you want me to drop you off?"

"Eager to get rid of me?" He asks with a chuckle. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm not, but I won't be telling him that. After seeing that small glimpse of him with the elderly owners, I'm curious about that part of Cato I don't know. I don't really know him at all other than his name and smug attitude. There has to be more to him than he wants me to believe. "First you have to let me show you something." It's almost like he can sense what I'm thinking, or I'm not near as good at hiding things as I would like to think I am. I nod, agreeing to this one last little adventure with him. I'm thankful that it's daylight so anymore haunted houses are off the list of possible places he could be leading me to.

The drive is not as long as I was thinking it would be and we spend the whole time in what has become our usual silence. I notice he's on his phone more than yesterday, texting or maybe emailing. He only looks up to make sure I'm still heading in the right direction or to point for me to turn.

Cato has me pull over and park on the side of the road as soon as I've put the car in park he jumps out walking towards a thin worn path that leads into a thick wooded area. He doesn't say anything to me and for a moment I'm reluctant to follow him. He isn't taking his time or even looking to see if I am following him. He must believe I will. The whole idea of following someone into the woods reminds me of all the horror movies I've seen over the years, so my conscience is jumping up and down screaming at me to just get back in the car and drive away. My common sense has been pulling me in the opposite direction of Cato since we met, but I haven't once listened to myself yet, so why should I start now?

By the time I start to follow I can hardly see him anymore and I have to jog to catch up. When I finally reach him, he stops abruptly causing me to nearly run right into his back. For the first time I actually take the time to look at where we have ended up.

We are surrounded by thick woods filled with luscious green trees with trunks that I wouldn't be able to wrap my arms half way around. Each one ten times taller than any tree I have ever seen. Their long branches block out the sky only letting rays of sunshine through the lush leaves creating a magical look that you only see in dreams. 20 to 30 feet in front of us is a small lake that reminds me so much of the one my father and I visited several times together over the years. I slowly sit down taken by all its beauty and breathe in the forest around us. The rays of sun that seep through the trees sparkles over the deep blue ripples of the lake have a calming effect on me. It isn't long before I lay back folding my hands under my head and look up into the endless tree tops that memorize me with all their beauty. I hear Cato finally sit down next to me, still not having said a word since we left the haunted bed and breakfast.

I lay here pondering how he knows about this wonderful place, but not only that, I wonder too how he seems to know his way around everywhere we have been so far.

I won't admit it to Cato, but I really needed the tranquility of this place. So, after lying here for nearly an hour I thank him in a way I know he will understand. "This place is beautiful." I turn to face him finding that he is now lying next to me just in time to see his small smile before he quickly hides it away from me.

I don't turn my attention back to the tree tops and allow myself to watch him while his eyes are closed. He seems both comfortable here and uncomfortable at the same time. I think he has been so still that it's beginning to bother him. I've notice he doesn't do well for long not doing anything, "Why here?"

He opens his eyes before I can tear my gaze away from him, affectively catching me staring at him. I sit up and look the opposite direction hoping he won't have time to notice my blush.

I hear the rustling of him sitting up, and, feeling my checks cool, I shift so that I'm facing him just as he answers me."You like the quiet." Simple and to the point, very Cato. He cocks his head slightly to the side, thinking for a second when he continues, "Where are you going from here?"

Again, I'm turning away from him because I don't have an actual answer for him. I haven't planned anything out, and I don't really want to at this point. My whole life has always been planned down to the tiniest of details, so even if it's just for a short while I want something different. "I don't know." He doesn't say anything and I'm sure he doesn't find this surprising at all. "You?"

He seems very well managed and it's hard to see him not having some sort of plan. But, when I look at him for his answer, he just shrugs nonchalantly. Either he's not telling me or he really doesn't have any type of plan either.

I look back at the lake, still completely relaxed in this surrounding, imagining that I could stay forever in a place like this.

I hear him move again. He's ready to leave but he's holding back saying something, letting me enjoy the forest a little longer. I stand and take in the peacefulness of the forest one last time and turn see Cato is doing the same. "If you want, you can ride with me a little longer." I tell myself that it's another "thank you" for bringing me to the forest, but I know that I really just have become curious as to whom Cato is and his company really isn't all that bad.

This surprises him as he looks at me questionably. "Why? Because I brought you here?" He motions to the trees around us, unsure of why I would offer for him to come along again.

"Yes," I put simply. I'm too easy for him to read, so with that, I turn and head back in the direction of the car.

I hear a slightly confused "Ok" from behind me before he picks up his pace to where he is leading the way. I hope I know what I'm doing sticking with Cato like this, but there is something about him and I can't seem to put my finger on whatever it may be. My best bet is to let my curiosity get the best of me and get to know him.

This is unplanned and so far from anything I would normally do. This is the different that I need.

* * *

Sorry for the wait on this chapter but I wanted to find myself a Beta before continuing so a big thank you to the wonderful AshleyMarie2012! She is qutie fast with her work which means that you should thank her as well :)

Thank you all for the lovely reviews alerts and follows, they seriously make my day so please, keep it up!

Until next time my dears, Laters

-CM


	5. What's in a Name?

I do not own the Hunger Games characters.

Enjoy! :)

* * *

Quiet. I like that about Cato, we've been driving for hours and he hasn't said more than a few words at a time, and its only when we stop for gas that he'll ask me if I want anything. Maybe I could deal with him for a while if he's like this all the time.

"Stop." I jump, startled by his forcefully tone, and quickly look around, thinking I must have come close to hitting something for him to ask me to stop in such a way. I've slowed down only to see that there are only three other cars on the long stretch of highway we're on and each car is too far from us for there to be any need for me to stop.

"Why?" I ask irritated that he didn't have a real reason to startle me.

I hear him huff, becoming irritated himself, "Just stop." I huff myself at how demanding he's being, but pull over to the shoulder anyway. I needed to stretch my legs anyway, so as soon as I put the car in park a get out. Cato does the same meeting me as I round the car.

"You can't just drive around aimlessly. Where do you want to go?" I feel like I'm back in school being scolded by a teacher with the way he speaks to me and waves his hands around in frustration. I look around at the empty fields that surround the highway we are on now, not really knowing how to answer. I was hoping I would have figured out at least a destination by now but I still have no clue where I really want to go. I didn't know when I left home and I still don't know what I want to do, this road trip may not have been my best idea maybe I should have just gone to the cabin in Colorado to be close to Prim. "Don't think so hard, just say it." There really is nothing to say. I'm lost not having all the planning I'm used to, but I don't want to tell him that. I wanted different; I wanted to get away, but now that I have that, I don't know my next step.

"Anywhere." I can live with going anywhere but back home. As much as I'm not really sure of my choices right now, I'm not ready to go back and face what all waits for me there.

"Anywhere?" It's not hard to miss how excited he sounds at this, "Are you sure? Is there anywhere you don't want to go?"

That question I don't have to think about and I answer so fast that he raises a curious eyebrow at me. "New York."

He takes a second to think before he asks me another question, "Do you have a passport?" Passport? He wants to leave the country? In my car?

I opt to argue against whatever idea he has that needs the use of a passport later. "Yes."

He smiles triumphantly at my confirmation. "Good. Let's go shopping." Passport, shopping, and Cato. Whatever it is that he has planned, I can't but be a little excited. This surprises me, I still don't really know him at all and yet here I am letting him lead me away to god knows where, willingly. We both climb back in the car, and as I do, I push my common sense to the depths of my mind, once again ignoring it.

He points me to continue in the direction we have been going for the next thirty minutes before we exit onto a smaller highway that passes through several small towns that are one after the other. He's been on his phone since we left the side of the road, his fingers and thumbs moving so fast its crazy, I don't think I've seen him use it this much yet and it reminds me that I should call and check in with Sae. He finally puts his phone away and begins to softly tap on his knee for the next 15 minutes. He's beginning to have a hard time with all the lack of movement so I pick up my speed a little bit to get us to our shopping destination faster.

"What's your name?" Cato seems to have had enough of all the silence that engulfs us when we drive, and he's decided that now's the time to ask what I'm sure has been eating at him since I told him my name was Kate. I debate whether or not I should just stick with my little lie but I when he adds, "Your real name." I know it isn't going to work. He's smart, too smart maybe. Even if I just refused to answer I'm sure he would figure it out on his own in time. "You trust me enough to ride with me, knowing next to nothing about me, but you don't trust me enough to tell me your name?" At this point he's right; I've basically put my life in his hands, trusting him to lead me around. I guess he does at least deserve to know my name.

"Katniss. Katniss Everdeen." I sneak a peek at him from out of the corner of my eye to catch his reaction. Maybe he won't have a clue as to who I am. When I see he's trying not to smile, maybe even laugh at me, my peeking turns into a full on glare. "What?" I switch quick glances from the road and back to him waiting for his answer but all I get is his usual shrug followed by a knowing smirk. I swerve the tiniest bit and laugh some myself when I realize what he's telling me without even speaking. "You knew."

"Yes."

"Why didn't you say anything?" I get another shrug, and after a few minutes, I have to settle with the fact that I'm not getting an answer out of him and we fall back into another silence. It however doesn't last long. Only twenty minutes pass before he reaches to turn on the radio, but I quickly swat his hand away. I like this quiet we've had; its calming for me.

"Fine if you won't let me turn on the radio then talk to me."

I grip the wheel a little tighter, not liking where this is going. "About what?"

"About you." I quickly reach back out to the radio wanting the music to break our silence and not this conversation, but he mimics me and slaps my hand away from the button. "Oh no, it's too late to change your mind. Now talk."

I roll my eyes at how serious he sounds. I would be mad, but I caught the playfulness in his tone as well, which makes it hard. He doesn't seem like the playful type, so I decide to let it go just this once. "So demanding."

He lets out a short deep chuckle and it says everything he wants it to without all the words: I don't know the half of it. It only makes me more curious about him, there seems to be a lot he's keeping from me, just as I am him.

I decide to go the safe route and give him basic details of my life that are all public information and that can be found if you just Google my name. "I'm from New York and I-" He cuts me off quickly knowing what I'm doing, I should have guessed that wouldn't work.

"No. Don't give me facts anyone can easily find on the Internet. Tell me something the world doesn't know about the very reserved and intriguing Katniss Everdeen." I put the car in park in front of the small shopping mall he's lead us to just as he finishes. I sit there for a second not really sure what he's fishing for, but it's obvious he's looking for something. I don't find myself defensive like I usually would be, because I can tell that, unlike other people, Cato is only curious for himself and not planning to use any information I give him to his advantage or against me. Or, at least that's what I believe, I could be wrong.

I step out of the car, stretching my legs running my fingers along the car as I walk, something I've noticed I always do with this car. Cato is in front of me by the time I reach the hood of car looking expectantly at me. I look down at the car that my fingers have yet to leave and choose to tell him one tiny detail about me few know. "This car...it was my dads." I stop the petting motion my fingers are making on the car, realizing it must look odd to Cato. "We restored it together." My voice is soft and on the verge of giving away how much that means to me, so I don't say anything else about it.

We stand there quiet for a few minutes before he says something, "69 Camaro. It's a beautiful car. Reds a fitting color for you." I can't help but smile when he says this. Daddy had said something close to that to me a few times. He would say the color reminded him of the fire he saw in me. There is no fire now; grey would be more fitting color to match the smoke that comes off the smoldering coals that were once strong flames. "So you know about cars." I look up at him and answer with a quick nod and turn to walk inside. I had to practice on other cars and learn what I was doing before I even starting the process of bringing his car back to life. But I don't want to go into those details with Cato; I don't want to go into detail about anything else with him right now. That small bit of information should be enough to hold off anymore questions for another day or two, I hope.

The mall may be small, but there are still plenty of stores for us to choose from to shop at. Turns out shopping is more fun than I imagined it would be, hopping from store to store getting everything from summer to winter wear. Cato informs me that I must always be prepared every time he hands me something else to try on. It doesn't take me long to see he's taking this seriously and this isn't really much fun to him. He surprises me by paying for his own things even trying a few times to pay for mine as well. It confirms what I already knew: he is in no way a bum. We stop buying things when I mention that I don't think anything else would be able to fit in my car.

It takes a few minutes to stuff everything we had already purchased in the trunk and back seat, but thankfully it all fits and nothing has to be returned. As soon as we're back on the highway, I decide that, since I've given him something, that it's my chance to try and get something out of the very tight-lipped Cato. "Your turn," I state confidently.

He laughs. A real laugh, but it's short and I get the impression he doesn't like laughing much. That or he just doesn't ever have a reason to, so he isn't used to it. "Well I'm not a bum, but I'm sure you have figured that out. My last name is Bronn." Bronn. The name sounds so familiar and I rack my brains trying to figure out where I've heard it before. Cato Bronn. I try his name together silently when it finally clicks. Cato Bronn, son of the man who owns Bronn Industries; a man who I have heard my father speak of as dishonest and heartless. "Figured it out?" He says with such edge to his voice that I almost don't want to tell him I have.

I don't know how I could have not recognized him sooner. I've heard of him and his father many times. Why I didn't catch it when he told me his name is beyond me. "I didn't know."

I take a second to glance at him thinking he might be finding it amusing that he knew me the whole time and I didn't even recognize him until now. But his face is blank and when he speaks his tone is flat giving nothing away, "I like it better when people don't."

"Me too." But even so, I can't help but think he was hoping I would have figured it out on my own before now.

We only drive another hour before we pull into a hotel for the night. Cato doesn't protest this time, I made sure to make it clear to him sleeping arrangements would always be my choice. I will not take another chance of ending up in another haunted house weather it was real or not.

I insist on getting the rooms, so he waits for me in the sitting area, and when I come back to meet him I stand back and watch him for a second before he realizes I'm there. I know I've seen him in a picture one or two before and heard his name more than once but I can't help but think he acts like it may have been more than that for him. "We've met before haven't we?" He looks up at me over the magazine he's been skimming through before he puts it back down and stands, dusting imaginarily dust off his pants.

"Once, yes. Many years ago." I scan his face for any sign that he could be lying, but if he's is I can't tell. He looks and sounds like he's being honest.

"I don't remember." I admit, embarrassed at how rude it seems to me that I don't have any memory of meeting him.

He shrugs already knowing this and acting like it's really no big deal to him, "I know."

I hand him his room key and we walk to the elevator, me feeling awkward around him for the first time since we've met a few days ago. When we get off on our floor I finally decide to just ask, surly if he refreshes my memory I will remember our encounter. "Will you tell me?"

He smirks before giving me his blunt answer, "No." And with that, he turns from me and goes into his own room leaving me standing in the empty hallway.

He wants me to remember him on my own. His own little personal game, I guess. I suppose this will make our random road trip just a little more interesting than it's already been.

* * *

No romance yet, but conversations are becoming more than just one worded resposes this should excite you.

I posted a picture of Katniss car on my Tumblr, if you would like a visual. imakeyounopromises . tumblr . com

Leave me more of your lovely reviews because, well, they make my day!

Laters

-CM


	6. Unwanted Attention

Enjoy! :)

* * *

I grip the wheel as Cato changes the radio station again. This has to be the fourth time in less than thirty minutes, and we've only been in the car for maybe an hour this morning. I don't know if I can take much more of this. He had done the same thing the whole time we drove yesterday, too. I was hoping it would be one of those one time things, so two days ago, when we left Greensboro, I let him listen to the radio. I was very wrong though, and now every time we get into the car, it's on before I even pull out of my parking spot. I begin to realize that he does it mostly to get a reaction out me, because every time he does it, he watches me out of the corner of his eyes with a smirk on his face.

I've discovered that Cato isn't as one dimensional as he wants me to believe he is. It's like he's a bunch of different Catos rolled up into one, each different personality that he reveals gives me more of an idea of who the real Cato is. There is the serious and impassive Cato that I first met in a parking lot only 5 days ago. I've seen kind Cato only twice: once at the bed and breakfast with the old couple, and then when he took me to the forest. The Cato that I witnessed for the first time yesterday at a diner was playful when he threw the cool whip from his waffles at my face because I didn't want to try the flavored syrup. In return, I threw my berries at him which created a full on food fight between the two of us in our small booth, affectively getting us throw out while still hungry. It was the first time I really laughed since my daddy had died nearly three months ago, and the first time I saw Cato genuinely smile.

I can't forget to mention the very annoying Cato, who's sitting next to me now, whom finds irritating me an amusing game. "At what point will you be telling me just where we are going?" I finally have had enough and push his hand away from the radio so I can turn it off. I let out a small sigh when the music is off and the quite is back.

Cato, of course, finds this funny, snickering at me before he answers. "When we're there." I groan when I get the same answer I've been getting every time I have asked him this same question. I have to fight the overwhelming urge to push him out of the car right then. Instead, I just question my reasoning again as to why I have talked myself into letting him lead me around. "Oh, stop complaining, you like my surprises."

I've really only gotten two surprises from him—if I don't count him reminding me who he is—and I can honestly say that the creepy haunted house was not something I liked. "I've only liked one of your surprises." That day in the forest changed how I saw him, it gave me a reason to want to get to know all there was to know about him. I want to see and know the part of himself he doesn't want the world to know about. I can tell he's putting on a mask, making himself seem like he is his father's son, but I've seen small, short glimpses past that mask and I know that's not who he truly is. I see it now with him sitting quietly next to me, looking almost guilty while he thinks. I know it's because I'm sporting a half pout at his refusal to share his plans with me. Guilt isn't a trait of the heartless, so his well-made mask is slipping.

"Canada." I think I must be hearing things when I hear him speak again, sounding defeated. No, there's no way I heard that right.

"What?"

"We're going to Canada," he states plainly, looking at the long stretch of road ahead of us. "You'll love it, I promise," he adds, most likely thinking I need the reassurance. This explains why he wanted to know if I had a passport, but I have to admit, I never once thought Canada was were his head was when he asked. "Have you ever been?" I can feel him looking at me and I can almost imagine the curious look he undoubtedly has. I'm betting he's hoping I've never been, though I'm not really sure why.

"No."

"Perfect."

I want to ask why, of all the places we could go, he wants to go to Canada but the silence that follows after he's done talking is something I haven't had for a few days so I decide against it.

I pull into the first hotel that looks suitable in the small town of Williamsport, and I make a point to ignore the comments Cato mutters sarcastically under his breath about me being very original with my choices of where we have been staying.

The employees at the hotel are very energetic and helpful to both Cato and me—for reasons neither of us has to voice—but he catches my eye roll and returns it with one of his many smirks, agreeing with me. It's yet another thing that sets him apart from his father, who would expect this treatment, and then some.

My room is too big for just me. In the large bedroom there's a beautifully made king size bed with at least half a dozen pillows piled up decoratively. French doors separate the bedroom from a living area where there's a chocolate leather couch and large beige leather recliner with even more pillows. Across the room from the couch is a TV that has to be at least 60 inches, something I won't be using. In the corner parallel to the door is a small work area, and then there is a small kitchen area a few feet behind where the couch sits that has a plate of chocolates waiting for me. I glance at the computer the hotel has provided, knowing I should get on to send out a few emails and go through the hundreds I'm sure I have waiting for me. Emails from the people and a life in trying to get away from—a life that really I'm still living when I stay in places so over the top like this. Suddenly the room becomes too much for me and I'm out the door wandering the halls of the hotel, trying to find some sort of sanctuary that I can escape too.

It's pointless; there is no escape. Every corner I turn, there is either another long hallway filled with doors and lined with beautiful gallery paintings, or I'm met with an over enthusiastic employee who insists for minutes on end that they help me in some way.

I find myself outside, rounding the empty crystal pool to the far side that has a small sitting area with bench surrounded by small potted trees. It doesn't look like it fits in with the rest of the beach-like set up. I sit on the bench, frustrated that this is all I was able to find and knowing it will not do for what I want right now. This place is everything I'm slowly growing to hate, and yet, here I am, still choosing this life. I find myself wanting to cry because I know that this is something daddy would never understand. It's something I don't understand. How is it that I have changed so much in the last three months that I can't even look in the mirror and recognize myself anymore? I don't know who I am, not anymore. I know who I'm supposed to be, who _he_ would want me to be, but without him here pushing me, my drive to be the strong powerful person that he was is gone.

If he could see me now, I would be a disappointment to him, wandering around aimless with someone I barely know, trying to escape something I can't truly hide from. I feel my eyes begin to burn with tears that I refuse to let fall. If there is one thing I won't do, it's cry. Squeezing my eyes shut, I try to think of something, anything else, to keep me from looking weaker than I already am.

My thoughts are filled with Prim and the fun I know she is having with all her friends, and Sae who I can imagine is enjoying having the house to herself, though I doubt she would never admit to it. Then, when I begin to think of Cato, I snap my eyes open, confused by why my mind would find him calming in any sense. I can't think about it long because he's standing only a few feet away from me, watching me cautiously. I must look odd to him, sitting out here alone in the dark with my eyes closed.

"How did you find me?" I scoot over giving him the space and permission to sit next to me. He doesn't hesitate to take my offer and takes a seat on the bench, mimicking me and staring out into the pool.

"There aren't many places to look."

I turn to look at him confused by what he's saying. "Why did you come out here?" What I really want to ask him is why he would be looking for me, but I'm not sure if that's a conversation I want to be having right now.

I almost don't catch the small smile that plays across his lips because it's gone as quick as it came. "Do I need a reason?" I don't really know how to respond to that, or how he expects me to, so I just stay quiet and return my stare back to the empty pool, trying to shake the wave of confusion that he brings me. "What are you thinking?" For some reason he is more curious than I would ever have imagined him to be. He may be just as curious about me as I am about him.

"We should get some sleep," I say, standing up letting him know I'm not talking anymore. Most of the time when I do this he gets my hint. Tonight is one of those times and he follows me back inside, not saying anything else until we part when we get off the elevator at our floor.

"If we leave early enough in the morning we should make it to Toronto in less than 6 hours." I agree immediately, ignoring the fact that I know we will be going straight through New York. If we just do a straight shot there shouldn't be any reason to stop, which means no risk whatsoever of running into anyone unwanted.

Once I'm in the room, I go straight to the computer and log into my email account. I stare at the list of over 400 emails that are waiting for me with dread. I only spot two on the first page that I actually want to respond to, the others I'm sure I could live with deleting. One of the two I spot is from Sae, which would normally be unusual, but I remember I never called her with my new number, so I'm sure it was just her trying to check in with me. I ignore the seemingly endless list of emails and call her, swiveling around in the chair so I'm facing the large room that I really would rather not be in anymore.

She answers, sounding cautious until I say hello and then her voice instantly perks up. "Katniss, my dear, I've been waiting for your call."

"I didn't mean for it to take so long, I'm sorry."

"It's fine, I've actually just seen that you are very much alive and well, so there wasn't any need to be too worried anymore, I suppose."

I can't help but sit a little straighter in my chair when I hear the warning in her tone. "What do you mean you've seen me?"

"The pictures of you with Mr. Cato Bronn. They were posted on that gossip website you hate so much just earlier tonight," she pauses and I swallow nervously, not once having noticed anyone snapping pictures of us the past few days. "Katniss, should I ask how you two ended up together?"

I sigh into the phone, wanting to explain, while at the same time not wanting to really discuss it over the phone, "I'd rather you not."

"You didn't know about the pictures being taken, did you?" I barely hear her over my typing into the computer, getting frustrated after mistyping the site name several times because my fingers are moving slower than my brain.

There is not just a link to take you to the pictures, Cato and I have been plastered on the home page of the site. "I gotta go, Sae."

"Just remember Katniss, those sites write things to get people's attention and start rumors. Those of us who really know you won't think twice about the pictures." She sounds like a caring mother would, so I assure her that I know better than too look too far into these types of things. She hangs up only after I promise to call again with in at least two days, and I'm left to really look at the pictures of Cato and me.

There are five pictures. Three of them are from a distance, but there is no denying that it's Cato and me. The other two had to be taken by someone just a few feet away from us, which rubs me the wrong way.

The photos are lined up at the top the page, bigger than I would like them to be, and with a long article below them.

The first photo is of the two of us outside of the hotel we stayed in two nights ago. I'm waiting for my car and Cato is standing a few inches behind me, messing with his phone, the picture looks like it was taken by someone across the street from us. The second is from the same time, but just us getting into my car with both Cato and me smiling. You can tell that whoever took this picture zoomed in to get our faces better. I try to remember why we were even smiling, and I think I recall it was just us discussing food.

The third picture is from earlier this afternoon, and it's us checking into the hotel we are at now. In the picture we are both standing at the reception desk. I'm speaking to the lady and Cato is propped up on the counter by his elbows, watching me intently. My eyes linger a little longer on this picture not having realized he has ever watched me in such a way.

The forth photo is out of order and is from the day we first met. I turn red with both embarrassment and rage with how they captured us in this photo. It's from when I attacked him, and in the photo I'm straddling him on the ground. From the picture you can't see my face or how angry I was because my hair was in the way. It does however capture him smiling up at me while he holds me by my arms, making it look like we were playing or something.

The last photo is out of order too and it is of us both leaving the small diner covered in food with me in a fit of giggles. I didn't notice it then, but in the picture his hand is on my back leading me out the door, not laughing, but smiling a huge bright smile that I would never have imagined him doing. Whoever took this picture had to be right next to us, a few feet away if that. To anyone looking at all of these, it looks like we are more than we are in reality. These pictures say so many things but at the same time they leave me with more questions about Cato than before.

I take a deep breath and prepare myself for the worst as I begin to read the article.

_Katniss Everdeen, now the world's youngest billionaire at only 18 years old, has been spotted with none other than Cato Bronn._

_Katniss has never really been seen out dating anyone, let alone checking into hotels with a man. Every so often, she would be photographed with Gale Hawthorne, her father's business partner's son, whom she has stated is only a "friend". Even so, it seems she has finally tired of the company of her gorgeous "friend" of five years, but really who could blame her, Cato holds the hearts of many women, me included. _

_For the first time since enrolling 2 years ago, Cato is taking a break from his studies at Harvard this summer to spend it with the lovely Katniss, what a lucky girl, right? Rumors are now floating around that she too will enroll at Harvard in the fall to be able to spend more time with Cato. _

_I'm sorry to say this ladies, but it looks like this could be serious, Cato hasn't been photographed with a girl this many times in less than a week since his last girlfriend of 3 years, Clove Kershaw, and it's been over 2 years since their break up. And even then, Cato was never seen like this with Clove, this is a side of Cato I don't think has ever been captured. Does Cato know something about Katniss that we have all just missed? And what is Katniss doing to him to br-_

In the middle of reading there's a banging on my door and I have to step away from the computer to answer it. I barely get the door unlocked when Cato pushes himself in past me. This is the Cato I only saw a small glimpse of the morning at the haunted house. Only now he isn't holding back or trying to hind it.

I have to assume that he has seen the pictures and the article; it's the only thing that I can think would upset him like this. He scans the room, spots the computer and what I have pulled up on the screen, storms over, and yanks the cords out of the wall, confirming it was indeed the photos that have caused his fit of rage.

"We need to go." He isn't asking, he's telling me and I don't even think to question why. I quickly gather my things and stuff them into my bag that he takes as soon as I zip up.

"Where are we going?" I finally ask just as he opens the door and retrieves his own bag that he must have set down before he came in.

"Anywhere but here."

* * *

Angry Cato for some reason makes me happy so you will be seeing him every so often in this story.

To anon, The car was just coincidence, I drive an Audi so I just put that Katniss normally does as well.

To my adorable perverted reader these things take time...

I need your help, I want very badly to have an edited phot of Cato and Katniss because it looks so perfect in my head so if you know someone who can do that for me PM me please! I am not below begging for it lol

Katie gets a shout out because she left sweet fan mail for me on Tumblr!

And of course a big thank you to Ashley for being an awsome Beta!

As always Thanks a ton for all the reviews alerts and follows!

Laters

-CM


	7. Uncomfortable Places

Uncomfortable Places

Enjoy! :)

* * *

Once we are in the elevator, he pushes the button for the lobby forcefully, "I've already called and had the valet bring your car around to the kitchen exit."

I just nod, still somewhat startled by his harsh tone. I can't help but watch him on the ride down from our floor. His jaw is set and every so often it tightens, making his deep scowl look frightening. Any normal person would be smart enough to stay away from him right now. His grip is so tight around the handles of our bags that his knuckles are white, and he just stares at the elevator doors as if the look he gives will make them open sooner. I should be scared of him like this, but I find that my concern for why he is so upset almost eats away any fear that I may have for him right now. There's no way it was just the pictures that made him react this way. There's no way to be sure unless I ask, but I can tell it's best to just follow him out and ask questions later.

There are two hotel employees waiting, and once they see the elevator holds both Cato and I, they walk rather briskly to us, not looking as near as happy to see us as other employees had been all night. I catch the look they exchange of worry and I'm not sure if it's because we are leaving the way we are or if Cato has already frightened them.

Cato shoves our bags at the men once they are close enough to us, and one of them almost falls backward at the force he uses. A little further down the hall, I see another man who must be the manager with the way he's dressed. He is coming toward us almost in a run as Cato ushers me down a hall I assume will lead us to my car. I'm more alert now to Cato after seeing the pictures of the two of us, so this time when he guides me by placing his hand on my lower back, I can't think of anything else for a few seconds as I walk next to him, trying to keep up with his pace.

"Mr. Bronn, Miss Everdeen, please accept my apologies." The man's voice is urgent and breathless as he calls from behind us. He wants to say more but he doesn't get a chance because Cato cuts him off, dropping his hand from my back to spin around. The manager barely stops in time, almost running into Cato. Even with the small space between them, Cato takes a step towards the man, who in return cowers back a few steps. Cato towers over the man, who looks closer to my size than his. He's smart to back away from Cato like this, I don't want to think about what he could be capable of if he actually got his hands on someone right now.

"Cut the crap. It had to be one of your employees that took that photo; no one else was in the lobby with us when we arrived. Is it the only one you've got or are there more?" He pauses, examining the man, but he doesn't say anything to defend himself, maybe out of fear. I think my heart skips a beat when Cato mentions the chance of there being more photos of us. "This publicity is good for your sad excuse for a four star hotel isn't it? You sir have just screwed yourself," he hisses, his threat-laced words through clenched teeth at the man, then turns and continues walking. I don't follow him though; I'm frozen in my spot after witnessing this type of anger out of him. I'm not really sure what to say to the manager who looks scared to death when he looks at me, expecting me to say something, maybe even expecting me to be as mad as Cato is right now.

Embarrassment and shame is written all over his face, proving what Cato has said to be true. He's been caught, and he didn't anticipate it, that's for sure. I can see his mind going, trying to figure out a way to get out of the mess he's put himself in. I look in the direction Cato went, just as he turns, expecting me to be next to him. When he doesn't see me, he stops instantly and his head snaps back to me, tilting his head the tiniest bit, slightly confused by why I haven't followed him. He walks back without as much force in his step, but I'm still worried I'm about to get an ear full from him as well. When he gets back to me, he doesn't say a word, but grabs my hand and pulls me to follow. He barely has a grip on my hand, I could easily slip my hand away from him if I wanted to, but I don't pull away. I let him lead me down the hall, through the kitchen, and out to my car that has already been loaded with our things. I'm stunned by how, in his rage, he is able to be so gentle with me.

Cato doesn't let my hand go when we're outside and walks me around to my door, practically putting me in my seat when he finally lets me go. Once he lets my hand go, it's like that small gentleness he had with me is gone and he's back to being full-on scary Cato, "Go."

Again, I don't argue with him and pull out of the alley behind the hotel and follow his direction. He keeps us off the main roads for a while, which to me seems unnecessary.

It's the middle of the night, and I'm not really tired anymore, so I try to suggest we just drive all night, but Cato quickly tosses the idea, saying it isn't safe, which I guess is true, "We're going to have to stay a night in New York."

We've been driving for not much longer than an hour, and for the first time, I really examine where we are. I don't recognize the area we are in, but I can see the lights from the New York sky line from here. We have to be at least thirty minutes away. When we finnaly do cross the state line, and I can't ignore the nervous knot I now have in my stomach. It shouldn't be like this, New York is my home; everything I love is here, but now everything I can't bear to be around is here too. I need time, that's all this is. I need to figure myself out, and this place, my home, won't help me do that.

By the time my eyes begin to get heavy, I start scanning for hotels. It's only then that I notice that there are no hotels in sight. He points me down road after road that I don't recognize. Eventually he tells me to pull into a long driveway that leads us to a small cottage-type house just two hours inside the New York state line. All the lights in the house are out, so with the trees that surround it, I'm reminded of the last time he picked where we stayed. I put the car in park and turn, ready to argue with him about staying here, not caring if he is still mad or not, there is no way I'm doing this again, even if this house looks nowhere near as scary as the last one we stayed at. I won't chance it.

"Don't worry." I eye him, still not sure if I should believe that, and he quickly jumps out of the car, coming around and opening my door. The act catches me of guard. This isn't something he has ever done, nor would I ever expect from him. "It's a normal house and normal people live here," he urges, reaching for my hand. I sit, looking between his outreached hand and his ice-like eyes that are still a bit darkened from being so angry. "You can trust me," he insists, but he doesn't understand that it's not that I'm having to convince myself whether or not to trust him, my doubt is with myself as to why I already trust him so much. It shouldn't be like this, my trust is hard to earn and yet he's had it all along. Even after the way he acted back at the hotel, it should have set off some kind of flag, but it only drew me closer to him. My curiosity about him has only grown, and I still know so very little about him. I need to know more.

I take his hand, letting him pull me out of the car, and he walks me up the rock path to the small front porch. He drops my hand, so he can knock on the door and I can't help but stare up at him, completely confused my both him and myself and how I am around him. He's trying to look calm, but there's no hiding how upset he still is. He takes a deep breath when he hears the heavy footsteps of someone we surely just woke up, and I tear my eyes away from him just as the door opens. A tiny young girl, who is maybe 15 with golden hair that's messy from sleeping, stands in the half-opened door.

As soon as she sees that it's Cato standing in front of her, she lunges forward to hug him. I'm shocked to see that Cato isn't the least bit bothered by this, and that he doesn't hesitate to bend down and wrap his arms around the girl, lifting her off the ground when he does.

When he sets her back down, she is more awake than before and is trying hard to stand still, but it's not hard to tell how excited she is to see him. Standing here, watching their warm exchange, I can't help but feel like I'm intruding.

"I'm so sorry," she finally turns her attention to me with a bright, welcoming smile, putting out her hand for me to shake, "I'm Ana."

"Katniss," I say, shaking her hand.

She jumps and turns, waving for Cato and me to follow her into the small house. The inside has a very soft, country feel to it, with only earthy colors and a few decorations. Ana tells us to sit and get comfortable before she disappears behind one of two doors that are in the house other than the front door. Cato doesn't join me when I sit on the only couch in the small living room, and just continues to stand until Ana returns. He goes to her just as she shuts the door quietly and they speak in whispered voices that I can't understand from where I'm sitting, so I'm left to wait awkwardly until they are done.

"Are you sure?" I only catch her question because she half squeals it. I can't help but turn to look at the two of them. Cato says one last thing to her and they both come back to stand in the living room, inviting me in on their conversation now.

"My mom is sleeping and Cato refuses to let either of you take my bed, so I hope the couch will be alright for tonight." She crosses her arms over her chest and nudges him, but it does nothing to him and he just rolls his eyes at her. With the way the two of them are together, they seem like they are close, like family, but I don't see any resemblance other than the blonde hair.

"The couch is fine, Ana. Now you can talk tomorrow, go sleep." She rolls her own eyes at this, but follows his brother-like directions and heads to her room after a quick good night and giving us both a hug. She a sweet girl, her demeanor reminds me so much of Prim. If they knew each other, I'm certain they would get along so well.

Once Ana has gone into her room, Cato comes and sits next to me, rubbing the length of his leg awkwardly. "Just for tonight," he promises, looking at me strangely when I scoot over to give him more space on the small couch. "You're scared of me now," he says, still watching me. There's something about the look in his eyes and the tone in his voice when he says this that startles me. He actually thinks he scared me back there, and he did a little bit, but not enough to get me to pull away from him.

"No." I should say more, but if I haven't already proven that to him by trusting him, then I don't know how I could.

"The pictures should have never been taken." He's apologizing, I'm guessing, without actually apologizing, which would fit into the typical Cato style. It isn't his fault though; neither of us were paying attention when we should have been.

"It was bound to happen sooner or later. I've been hiding away since..." I can't say it out loud. Even after all the time that's past, I can't bring myself to say the words. "I just up and left, so someone was going to find me sooner or later."

"You make it easy."

He's right, like always, it seems. I've gone places that I would usually go, staying in a comfort zone that I don't find comfortable anymore. "I know."

"We can fix that."

"I know."

Unlike me, the Bronn family is rarely ever photographed unless they want to be, which is why the photos of the two of us might look like they were something he wanted people to see. Judging from his reaction, I know that's not true. I know he can keep me off of the gossip sites and away from photographers, I just have to do it his way.

"Sleep."

He must have caught my eyes beginning to fall and the small yawn I tried to hide. He scoots over so that he's all the way against the arm of the couch, and props his feet up on the small coffee table in front of us. I take his lead curling my legs up and resting my head on the back of the couch in a position I know I will regret in the morning. Even with being uncomfortable on the small couch next to Cato, I fall asleep quickly, not really minding this at all.

* * *

More angry Cato and them sharing a couch! You are very welcome. I wont give you all that lovey dovey kissing stuff anytime soon because those things take time in the real world. Patients my dears, all good things come to those who wait!

How is it that my sister was the only one who caught that I named Clove after a knife? Props to you on that K.

Did any of you catch the new grapic? luhd-wig on Tumblr made if for me! What do you think? Im in love...its just Perfect!

A big thanks again to Ashely who is an amzing Beta who always does great with all the chapters I give her! (I have two stories shes heling me with.)

As always the follows and alerts are just wonderful and the reviews are even better! Thank you all!

Laters

-CM


	8. The Question Game

The Question Game.

* * *

_The room is dimly lit and strange dark shadows flicker over the walls even when nothing moves, giving it an ominous feel. There are no windows, no doors…no escape. This place was meant to keep its contents locked away, hidden forever. _

_The room is empty, except for a beautifully hand-carved polished box that sits on a sturdy silver stand in the center of the room. A coffin. His coffin. The glow of the wood in this dim room and what it holds pulls me forward without me so much as moving my feet, as if I'm hovering just inches off the ground. I reach out, placing my hand on the smooth stained wood of the box, causing a cold chill to run up my arm and send a shiver down my spine. _

_"Daddy." My croaked voice is hardly one I recognize, but it's mine nonetheless. I sound as broken as I feel; as lost as I am. It's a good thing this weakness can't escape from here; it's nothing the world needs to see from me. _

_My fingers dig into the wood, trying to hold onto whatever I can that's left of him, but the action only makes the once solid box disintegrate beneath my fingers, leaving my empty hand suspended in mid air. _

I'm being stiffly shaken awake by Cato, who is standing over me, his faced etched with concern. I sit up, running my hand over my eyes and squeezing when my fingers reach the bridge of my nose. I definitely didn't get much sleep and my dream didn't help the matter.

Cato still stands in front of me even though he has succeeded in waking me up, so I drop my hand to look up at him. He nods his head toward the front door, inviting me to come outside with him. The house is still dark and quiet. Ana and her mother must still be sleeping. I stand, stretching my arms over my head, then follow him out willingly, needing the fresh air.

It's early. The sun is just rising as we sit on the edge of the small porch that creaks with each move we make. He doesn't say anything as to why he brought me out here—I think he may have known it's what I needed. I can't help but wonder how he knew I needed to be woken up, I know I don't talk or scream in my sleep. I'm not about to ask him though, because it may get him to asking questions about things I don't wish to share. The idea that somehow he knows what I need every time is both unsettling and comforting.

The silence that surrounds us isn't our usual comfortable silence. It's thick and seems forced, so I break it with a curious question that will take my mind away from the haunting dream I've just woken from. "How do you know Ana?"

He shifts from his spot next to me, making me thinks he's uncomfortable with my question, but he had to know it would come sooner or later. "Her mother use to work for my father." He skirts around my question with ease, but this is me he's talking to, and I won't drop it so easily.

"Used to?" It's hard not to want to know more about the cheery girl I met last night, the girl Cato seems to have some sort of soft spot for.

"Yes, used to." He isn't leaving it open for explanation, still I push one more time in hopes I might get something else out of him.

"But you two still stayed in contact?"

"Yes." The way he says it so sharply lets me know he doesn't want to talk about how he knows Ana, so I have to put my curiosity for the young girl aside and let my curiosity for him take over. I'm not ready for the silence again, so I ask the one thing that's confused me since we left the hotel last night.

"Why we're you so mad about the pictures yesterday?" His head turns quickly to me as if he didn't hear me right, confusion radiating off of him like somehow I should know the answer to my own question. His confused expression doesn't last long, realization takes its place.

"I could care less about the pictures, Katniss."

"But—" I want to argue, but he doesn't give me a chance, cutting me off before I can really begin.

"It wasn't the pictures." His words come out harsh and edgy, and I can tell he instantly regrets it. He's getting mad about the whole thing all over again, except this time, it's not what I thought it was all along. I think back, replaying the night in my head, but nothing sticks out to me. It's obvious now that I have missed something that I shouldn't have missed, leading me to believe that maybe I should have been as angry as he had been back at the hotel.

I want to ask him, but I'm positive he will go into scary-Cato mode, and I'm not sure if that's a good idea with where we are right now. I decide that maybe its best I just ignore it all together; I don't want to be weighed down with whatever it is that caused him to get so enraged. It's good I've missed it, I think.

I don't say anything else, and neither does he as we sit with our feet dangling off the old wooden porch, watching the sun rise through the trees. The rustling of footsteps inside tell us that Ana, and maybe her mother, must be awake.

It isn't long before Ana opens the door, stepping halfway out of the house and getting both mine and Cato's attention. There is no doubt she slept well last night. "You two, come eat!" she says, half bouncing before returning inside and leaving the door open for us.

Cato is up before me, offering me his hand that I don't think twice about taking this time.

"Is she always so...bubbly?" I ask, wiping the dust from my jeans as I follow him inside.

"Usually."

We take a seat at the small table in the kitchen that usually only sits two, but another chair has been drug from somewhere else in the house and added to make room for one more. I'm surprised that Ana's mother hasn't joined us or made an appearance at all. I can't help but look up at the bedroom door every so often, wondering what could possibly keep her in there when she has company.

The food is simple eggs, sausage, and biscuits, but somehow they taste better than any I've had before. Ana doesn't waste time and starts in asking question after question, hardly giving me time to answer any of them. She asks how we know each other, why we were out so late, and why, of all places, we ended up on her doorstep. When she finally gets all her questions out, I sit there with an unsure smile not really wanting to answer any of them. Cato can see this and jumps in, telling Ana we are old friends, and then takes the conversation in a different direction so that all the questions are now aimed at him.

When she asks a question that he doesn't want to answer, he simply ignores it and changes the subject, she seems to understand him and never once complains or pushes for an answer. Cato asks questions mostly about school, never once mentioning the woman who I have yet to meet in the house. It's like it's common knowledge between the two of them that she is not to be discussed.

"You aren't staying?" Ana squeaks, pulling my attention from the door I was again sneaking glances at back to her.

"Not today, Ana."

She's disappointed with this news, but she doesn't try to persuade him otherwise. She still pouts, though. The look on the girl nearly makes me want to insist we stay just a little longer, but this is New York, and the less time I spend here the better.

"Fine. Promise to come visit again soon?" She isn't so much as asking as she is telling Cato, which is brave on her part. It's not something I think he gets much of. It doesn't bother him though, just as nothing the girl has done bothers him, and he nods, agreeing to her simple demand.

"And you, too, Katniss," she quickly adds. I look at Cato for him to step in and save me again, but he just shrugs as if I really have no choice but to agree as well. So I smile and nod at her, too, agreeing that I will come back for another visit.

When we get ready to leave, I have her jot her address down for me so I'm able to find the small town of Rexville again. If it hadn't been for Cato bringing me here, I would have never known it existed, and I might not be able to find it on my own again if I keep my promise to Ana, which, for some reason, I intend to with or without Cato.

I head out to the car, but not before I see Cato slipping into the bedroom, maybe hoping I wouldn't catch him. Ana sees that I've caught him and gives me a sad smile but no explanation as to why her mother won't come out or why Cato is sneaking in.

It isn't much longer before Cato joins me in the car. I wish I could read him better, but right now there's no getting past his well-placed blank expression. He's hiding whatever it is he's feeling. I know this because it's become a sort of second nature for me here recently. For Cato, though, it's different. Unlike me, this is something he has been doing much longer than a few months. He's perfected it to a point where most people wouldn't think twice about there being any sort of feelings at all built up behind his emotionless face.

This time when we drive, it's him that needs the silence, not me. This isn't the time for my new-found open curiousness around him. We drive, taking main roads and highways unlike last night, making the drive through New York quicker.

For the second time today, I find myself not liking this silence between us. It's not the same, though; it's not forced like the silence from this morning. Now, so much hangs in the air, making it almost unbearable.

"Play a game with me?" His voice is light and I wonder where it came from. His blank face is gone and replaced with an amused smile.

There is no doubt that this is some sort of set up, so I don't bother to feel bad when I quickly shake my head, "No."

His smile broadens at my quick dismissal of whatever it is he wants to do, "Come on, Katniss, have a little fun with me."

I don't know if it's the taunting way he's said this or the way he quirks his eyebrow up in a challenging way at me, but it makes my heart rate speed up. This look on him is much too...distracting. "Fine, but really, what can we play while driving in a car?"

"The Question Game."

"No." I don't really give myself time to think when I say this. Such a game could be both good and bad for me. Good, because I could have a few of my questions about the very vague Cato answered, and bad, because he could have his own answered and there is no telling what questions are playing though his head.

"What is it with you and going back on the things you say? You already agreed, Katniss, and since I'm feeling nice, I'll let you ask me the first question." His playfulness doesn't hide the fact that this game is going to happen, whether I like it or not. I sigh, slouching into my seat and decide which of my many questions I want to ask first.

"Why were you in Pennsylvania that day?" He _is_ Cato Bronn, and for him to be in the same city as I was, without a car, has been wearing at me since learning his name.

"You wanna jump right in, huh?" he says, amused. "Okay, I was visiting a friend." He was expecting the question from me; he answered far too quickly. I half wonder if he's telling me the truth. "My turn. Will you ever let me drive this car?"

"No." The question was too easy, and surly he already knew the answer to it. He may want to waste his questions, but not me. I keep my attention on the day we met when I ask my next question, "Why didn't you have a car?"

"I flew there." Vague as always, leaving so much out while not really answering my question, probably what he wants. "What size shoe do you wear?"

"Seven?" I say, glancing at him questionably. "Why are you asking me easy questions?"

"You wasted a question, Katniss. And because you never know, these things could be something I need to know." I narrow my eyes in frustration, tired of this game already. "What's one thing you want to learn?" This question surprises me. Like the others, it's not even close to what I anticipated him asking, but this one isn't so easy to answer. What do I want to learn? I've learned many things over the years with my dad's guidance. I planned to follow in his footsteps. Everything he knew, I wanted to as well; I wanted to be as great as he was. "It can't be that hard to answer." But really it is. I never thought much about learning anything that wouldn't be useful to me at some point. I rack my mind, trying to think of something I used to be interested in, anything that drew my attention a little more than it should have.

"Archery," I finally say. I remember the first time I saw someone use a bow. It was in a movie and it was exciting just for me to be watching. I remember my hand itching to touch one, but when I left the theater that night, I never once thought about it again.

"Like bow and arrows?"

"Yes."

"Interesting." I've surprised him with this answer. I inwardly smile at my ability to do something that seems nearly impossible with him when it comes to me. There are moments where it's like he's known me for years with the way he can read me sometimes, which makes me debate on whether or not I should ask him about the time we first met, a time that I still have had no relocation of. I don't know if this is the right setting, and a part of me wants very badly to remember on my own without any further help from him.

"Why did you take your summer off?" When I read it on the gossip site, I half thought it wasn't true like the rest of everything that was written was.

He smirks, I've given him another question thats too easy for him. "It's what most normal college students do. Where will you go?" I glance over at him, confused. I thought we were going to Canada. He sees my confusion and expands his initial question. "To school. What university did you choose?"

This question is more along the lines of what I was expecting from him, but there really is no answer. I've been accepted in to a number of Ivy League schools across the country, and I know which one my dad would want me to attend, but I haven't enrolled in any of the schools yet. College has been the last thing on my mind. "I haven't yet."

There's a long pause, he hadn't expected that answer either, and he doesn't know what to say either. That or he isn't sure how to say what he wants to say.

"Why are you doing this?" I finally ask, wanting move on. "Why did you come with me?" I ask further before he can answer.

He doesn't even think to answer then, almost like he had been waiting to answer this question from the very beginning, "I saw an opportunity and I took it."

"Opportunity?" That doesn't even make any sense. What opportunity can driving around give anyone.

"Yes," he answers bluntly, letting me know he has no intention on explaining any further. "Why did you let me?" He thinks to add quickly when he sees that I'm ready to insist he give me a real answer.

"I was being nice." It's true, I was at first, but now...now I'm not sure I have any really reason.

"And now, after you've learned who I am and how I can be, are you still just being nice?" It's hard not to turn and look at him with the way he asks so curiously with just the smallest hint of doubt. He is right to think most normal people would keep their distance after seeing how furious he can get, and I know that I really haven't seen anything yet. But, I'm far from normal, and somehow it only drew me closer to him. Its curiosity, is all I think to myself.

"No."

"So you're not being just nice anymore, and if that's true, what is it now?" His question catches me off guard; I was sure the game would end there. I don't dare tell him I really have no earthly clue as to why I've let him lead me around and trusted him so much, so I tell him what I've left myself believe is true, "Curiosity."

He makes a noise that's half snort and half laugh, "You want to know me?"

He sounds like this sort of thing never happens, but I know that can't be true. "Yes."

Something I haven't seen before crosses through his eyes, giving me the impression that he doesn't think kindly of himself. "I'm everything you've heard I am and worse." But I haven't heard much, just that he is his father's son, and that I've heard more than once. I know this isn't true though, he's already proven that to me over and over just in the few days we've spent together.

"I don't believe that." And with that, our game seems to be over just as we get ready to pass over the border to Canada.

* * *

Im sorry that this chapter has taken me so long to get to you, but Ive been distracted, with family in town and Ive ben working extra hours. Plus I did weigh my Beta down, I think she had 4 chapters at one point. ( dont get excited, they were for another story I finished up) She is_ amazing._

So a few questions have been answered but only a few, Cato wont be spilling his guts to Katniss anytime soon. I couldnt help myself when I wrote that she wanted to learn archery, I'm trying to fit bits and peices from the actual book in. But just tiny bits and peices. Canada is going to be fun, I promise. :)

A few of you have come and found me on Tumblr and followed and sent sweet messages so thank you.

As always thank you for the follows, alerts and reviews!

Laters

-CM


	9. Pillow Talk

Pillow Talk

* * *

It doesn't take me long to figure out that any big city is out of the question, since people are actually hoping to get a picture of us now. Cato assures me he has just the place in mind. I can only hope he knows his way around here as much as he seems to know his way around everywhere we end up going.

It's nearly four o'clock when he suggests we stop for food before we stop driving for the day, and to my surprise, he points me to a local grocery store and not a restaurant.

"I was thinking we would take a break with all the driving and stay here for a few days." That's all he says when he hops out of the car. I can't help but look around for anyone that might look like they are trying to get picture. "You can stay in the car if you want, but I doubt anyone here will recognize us," he says when he sees I'm reluctant to follow him. "Besides, you actually look…normal in those clothes." He doesn't wait for me after he says that, and goes in by himself. I have to agree with him there, the simple grey t-shirt with black stitching and dark denim jeans I'm wearing aren't things I usually wear much of. I look like any other normal teenager. This is something that Cato must have picked out when we were shopping because I don't remember picking it.

When I finally make my way into the store, it takes me a few minutes to find him and he already has half a buggy full of things. "Anything you want?"

I glance in the basket, thinking it looks like he's ready to stock someone's whole kitchen. "I don't think there is anything left to get. Why do we need so much?"

"You'll see."

I can't help but feel uneasy. All these things he does I've just been walking into blindly, and whatever he's doing now isn't looking like it's going to be small. I remind myself that I can still, at any point, kick him out of the car if he tries something stupid, and just keep driving like nothing happened.

Once we're done at the store, it isn't fifteen minutes later that I'm pulling through the Turkey Provincial Park entrance.

"Surprise!" he says from beside me. I want to say something, but I'm stunned that he would bring me to another place like this. I thought the last time was a one-time thing, a sort of apology after taking me to a haunted house. He must have gotten the idea then that I like the woods, or he just might like them too.

I don't get a chance to ask anything, because as soon as I park the car, he hops out and tells me to wait while he takes care of the cabin arrangements. I settle back into my seat when he shuts the door and take in the site of the park around me. It's not like the forest he took me to before. The trees are tall and slender—I doubt that I could stand behind one without being seen. Everything is lush green, and I can't see the lake, but I know it's close, I can smell it even with the car doors being closed.

It makes sense now why we need the food—this is where he wants to stay for a few days, and I don't think I could have come up with a better place myself. I should have known I didn't have any reason to worry with Cato. I shake my head. Of course I should worry, it's natural. I still hardly know him and I'm going wherever he sees fit. To any normal person, I might seem crazy for trusting him so much. And again, I bring back to light the internal war I'm having with myself about just what the hell it is I'm doing with Cato.

Cato returns a good thirty minutes later, not looking the least bit pleased and huffing when he says, "Who would have guessed so many people camp out here this time of year?"

"We're not staying?" I say, surprised by how much my voice comes out as a whine. I was actually looking forward to this place.

"No, we're staying, just not in the cabin I had hoped for."

"What cabin were you hoping for?"

He opens up a map of the park that he must have brought from inside, scanning it when he answers. "One of the large ones." He points in the direction of the narrow road that weaves through the park. I pull out and drive slow, half expecting a deer or turkey to jump out in front of me at any point. As we drive we pass walking and biking paths and large camping areas for tents and RVs, Cato was right there are a lot of people here. Everyone I see looks so happy, it must be this place, I think, because even with the amount of people, I feel like a wave of calm has come over me since we arrived.

The drive to the small cabin isn't more than ten minutes from where we had checked in, and upon pulling in, I wonder why this cabin wasn't good enough for Cato—it looked perfectly fine to me. The cabin is set on top of a small hill, and once I get out of the car and look around, I can see that if you were to go down far enough through the trees you would have a beautiful view of Lake Erie. There is a grill provided that sits next to a small picnic table and a set of four-wheelers sitting on the far side of the place. No, this wasn't bad at all.

Cato hands me the key after I gather a few grocery bags in my hands and tells me he can handle the rest. I don't object, mostly because I want to see more of this place. The excitement that has built up in me because of this place is ridiculous, I inhale, taking in the smell of the woods, trying to calm myself before Cato notices.

Once I step in and put the groceries down, I give myself a tour of the small cabin. This place is nothing even remotely close to what I am use to, but even so, I feel another wave of calm come over me as I walk through its small spaces, dulling some of my excitement. The kitchen is a nice size, with a stove, refrigerator, and even a microwave. There's a little breakfast nook that has a dining table and two chairs where a few brochures have been arranged neatly. The den area is open with double windows on every wall. There is a leather couch that sits in the middle of the room in front of a small coffee table. There is a TV, but it's so small and out dated, I'm betting it's rarely been used. On the far side of the cabin behind the couch are French doors that open up to a bedroom with a huge king size bed. There's nothing fancy about the room, its simple. This, I think, this is what I need. Nothing over the top, nobody asking if I need something, no room service, not one computer, no abundance of pillows, no large spaces, no noise—this is nothing like I'm use too and everything I want right now. There's another door inside the bedroom and I open it expecting another bedroom, but it's just the bathroom. I know exactly why Cato had wanted a larger cabin now as I turn back to look in the bedroom. One room. One bed.

When I come out of the bedroom, Cato has already brought the rest of the groceries and our bags in. I must have a look on my face, because he shrugs like he figured I would be upset. "Don't worry, I'll be sleeping on the couch." He turns his attention back to putting things away.

I can't help but think about how we both slept on the small couch at Ana's last night and now he was going to spend another night or two on a couch—I'm still not sure how long he plans to stay here. "But that's not fair to you." I've joined him in the kitchen, helping place things in cabinets, when I say this.

He stops what he's doing to look at me, his head tilted to the side slightly with an amused smirk on his face, "What do you suggest Katniss? Do you want to share a bed with me?" It's not that the thought hadn't run through my mind, it had, but I never had imagined him actually asking, much less sounding almost hopeful when he did. I hardly have time to hide my surprise that he of course doesn't miss. "I didn't think so," he says turning back to put the last few things away.

We sit on the floor in front of the couch, setting our food on the coffee table. Cato has his legs stretched out under the coffee table while I sit Indian style like a school child. Cato made a simple stir fry. He said it was because it was fast and easy, but I wonder if maybe he is like me and really can't cook much at all. Once I take a bite, though, I know that isn't the case at all. Cato has surprised me by how good this is, something that calls for so little and can have so much flavor. I've learned just one more tiny thing about Cato, but still, it's not enough for my curiosity to go away. I could be like any other person and take to the internet, but there are so many different rumors and lies and few truths to anything you find, and with Cato being Cato, I'm not certain I could tell the two apart. He needs to be the one who satisfies my curiosity, not Google.

After we eat, I jump at the chance to shower, trying not to take too long so that Cato has time to take one as well. When I come out, feeling more refreshed than I have since I left New York, I'm stopped in my tracks when I see Cato laying sheets that he must have found somewhere over the couch. There is no hiding how guilty I feel about taking the bed for myself and him having to take the couch, so, before I change my mind, I shuffle my feet so he looks up at me. "We can share the bed. I mean, it's big enough and I don't move around in my sleep." He stares at me for what seems like forever, maybe trying to figure out if I'm joking or not. He is no doubt thinking about how surprised I was when he asked me, and now it was me, being completely serious and maybe even a little nervous, that is asking to share a bed. Cato, who has become a master at reading me somehow, must see this and finally says, "Alright."

I go outside and let myself relax on the porch steps, taking in the view around the cabin while Cato takes his turn in the bathroom. I can smell the lake from where I sit, and if I listen hard enough, I can even hear the sound of soft waves crashing onto the bank. I want to go down and put my feet in the water but it doesn't take long for pestering bugs to drive me inside. It's getting late, so I decide that to just get comfortable in bed.

It's more comfortable than I thought it would be, the blankets aren't as soft and the pillows not as fluffy, but I like it. And with me on the edge of my side of the bed like this, there is more than enough room for Cato. This won't be bad at all.

Just as I think this, Cato comes out of the bathroom with his head down, running a small towel over his hair. He's not dressed, and only a towel that hangs loosely at his hips keeps me from falling completely out of the bed. Still, the sight of him fresh out of the shower, his body still glistening, is enough to make my heart and my breathing to almost stop. Not a good idea, I think, sharing a bed with him. As much as I know I should, I can't bring myself to turn my head away from him. He looks up after what seems like minutes, though I know it's only been seconds, surprised to see me. "I thought you went outside, sorry." I can't bring myself to say anything to him, but I finally look away as my cheeks flush with embarrassment after having been caught staring at him. He walks quickly into the den area, holding his towel around his hips and grabbing something out of his bag then returning to the bathroom. It isn't until my chest begins to ache that I realize I was still holding my breath from seeing him like that. This isn't right, I shouldn't get so worked up over someone, anyone really, especially not Cato. Everything about this is wrong: me trusting him, me being so curious about him, me being so drawn to him. It shouldn't be that way. It doesn't seem to matter what argument I come up, I can't bring myself to just walk away from him. So here I am, not listening to my better judgment, waiting for Cato to come back out and get in bed. I try to distract myself by messing with my phone, sending a few texts out to Prim and Sae when Cato comes back out and gets in bed. I sigh internally, when I see that he has clothes on this time. I'm not sure if I could have handled sleeping next to a half naked Cato.

I reach over and turn my bedside lamp off, trying to keep my breathing a normal as I can. I have never shared a bed before—not with a guy, anyway. Prim's come in my room before when she's had nightmares, but this is nothing close to that. This is different from last night when we were on the couch together, but regardless, I try to convince myself otherwise.

He turns off his own lamp and I chance a glance at him for the first time since he caught me staring at him. I'm relieved that his eyes are already closed even though he isn't asleep. He's lying on his side and facing me. If he were to open his eyes, he'd catch me staring at him again. I wonder if he would say something then, or if he would ignore it like he did earlier. He's use to being stared at like that, I'm sure. I tell myself that any normal girl would be doing the same thing if they were in my place; he makes it hard not to stare. He looks different this way, in the dark, relaxed and unguarded. I can't help but think this is a small victory for me, seeing that he feels comfortable enough with me that he can be like this right now. I'm breaking through his barrier, I think; I'm closer to getting to know who he really is. "Will you ever tell me anything?" He opens his eyes, and I don't care that he'll know I was staring again. "I mean really tell me. Because all these one worded answers and your crazy ability to skirt around any question I ask without giving anything away isn't fair. I've trusted you from the start. Don't you think you can trust me?"

He props himself up on his elbow so that he's looking down on me from his side of the bed, "You've trusted me from the start?"

"See, you're avoiding my question." I turn away from his crystal eyes that are like flashlights in the dark room, and stare up at the ceiling, thinking it was pointless to even ask him. "Goodnight, Cato."

I don't close my eyes right away because I'm fighting with whether or not I should apologize for being so blunt. But I shouldn't. No, I shouldn't. I should have a right to know about him—something, anything about him—if I'm just going to let him lead me around.

"When I said I saw an opportunity back when I saw you in Pennsylvania…" He was being so quiet I was sure he had fallen asleep. His voice is low and almost vulnerable when he speaks, causing me to roll back over so I can look at him while he talks. He hasn't moved an inch; he's still facing me, propped up on his elbow, and the thought that this whole time he had been staring at me makes goosebumps rise on my arms. "I always wanted a second chance. I mean, because the first time I ever met you...well, you don't even remember, so I thought, What the hell? I would have never guessed then that I was going to end up leaving with you, or that you would even let me." To say I'm stunned would be putting it lightly, if I could even manage to think of the right words to say right now, I wouldn't have a voice to say them.

I can see it in the way he's watching me and the way he's said this that he is implying more than just what he's said, "A second chance?" I say out loud, not meaning to. But it's what is sticking out more than anything else that he said.

"Like I said, the first time wasn't very memorable. So tell me, Katniss, when we do go our separate ways, will you remember me this time?" With his playful tone, his head tilted to the side with his eyebrow quirked in a questioning manor and the uncertain smile that is hardly a smile at all, I, for the second time tonight, think my heart actually stops.

There would be no denying it to myself now: Cato is getting to me, and right now, I'm not certain if it's a good thing or if it's going to be something that will turn out very, very bad. Either way, my curiosity can't be the sole blame for my draw to him anymore. But, admitting that in my head and saying something out loud are two completely different battles. "Yes, I'll remember you." My whispered, breathy answer is enough to satisfy him, and he lowers himself onto the bed, pressing his head into the pillow, and closes his eyes.

"Goodnight Katniss."

* * *

Yes I did make Katniss get all, Whoa.. did it just get hot in here?, when seeing practically naked Cato because it would be the natural reaction of any of us. Do not deny it. :)

I realize I've been making the wait in-between chapters longer, and I promise its not me trying to kill you all. I really have been staying busy, for the most part, but still I'm sorry. :/

If there are any mistakes it's not Ashley's fault, I went back and added a line or two here and there after she gave me this chapter back to me.

Alright, go and review, because I want to know all your feels!

-CM


	10. Skipping Rocks

Skipping Rocks

* * *

The light seeping through the crack in the curtains on the one window in the room is what wakes me from my peaceful, dreamless sleep. Rubbing my eyes, I sit up and immediately notice that Cato is already up and has left the room. There aren't any noises or lights on that I can tell from the bed, so I climb out and walk into the den, thinking maybe he ended up on the couch after all.

The place is empty, with no sign of Cato. I almost think he's left me here until I walk past the table and notice that one of the brochures has been scribbled on.

**Went for a run**

He's traced the letters repeatedly so that the short note would stand out and be legible for me. I think for a second about changing into some sort of workout gear and going to join him, but I have a feeling I wouldn't be able to catch up to him, let alone find him out there, even if I wanted to.

Even after I'm done getting dressed and eating a bagel alone in the peaceful quiet of the cabin, Cato still hasn't returned. Not really knowing how long Cato intends to run, or why I'm waiting for him at all, I leave and make my way down to the lake. It's still early; the sun has only been up an hour at most, so there is still coolness in the air. The smell of the water as I get closer is calming while I take the small, worn-down path that leads me through the woods and just at the edge of the tree line, where I'm stopped in my tracks when I see Cato just ahead of me. He's got his back to me and he's on the phone, so he hasn't noticed that I'm here yet. He's standing so close to the water's edge that when small waves comes in, he has to take a step back, only to step back forward once it's washed out. He must have been running awhile, because his black T-shirt is soaked in sweat. He uses it to wipe more sweat from his forehead right after he hangs up with whomever he's been talking to.

He doesn't turn to leave or continue his running but looks like he's searching the ground for something, softly kicking rocks around in the process. He looks his age right now—if not younger—which is something that I rarely see from him. He's a lot like me, I've decided.

I'm about to join him and say something until he picks up a rock and examines it while rubbing it in between his fingers. The act is familiar; it's like I've seen him do this before. I watch as he twists his feet so he's standing at an angle next to the water, pulling his arm back, and then throwing the rock out into the lake where it skips perfectly across the water's surface. I'm frozen in my spot as a memory plays through my head like a movie.

It was a funeral—after a funeral, really. My dad's closest friend from his childhood had passed, and there was a lunch for the family and friends afterward at a relative's house. I was only fourteen, and back then, death made me uncomfortable. I didn't see the need to go to the lunch and sit in a room full of depressed people eating unappetizing food. I remember Daddy getting quite upset with me for complaining about going. I was being disrespectful and I wasn't to act such a way, he had told me. I was more rebellious against my father then, so once we'd arrived and I was out of his and my mother's line of sight, I ran off, wanting to get as far away as I could from the grief-filled atmosphere. There wasn't a room in the whole house that wasn't occupied with tear-filled faces.

Before I knew it, I found myself at the back of the homeowners' property where there was a large pond surrounded by overgrown trees. If it weren't for the black and midnight blue lace dress my mom insisted I wear, I would have been halfway up one by now. But, I had already run off, so ripping a new dress would only make Mom and Dad angrier.

Instead, I spent my time attempting to skip rocks across the pond, failing miserably each time I tried. I remember thinking that it had to be the rocks, because there was no way I was this bad at something that looked so simple when anyone else did it. As my frustration grew, I began to kick the rocks into the pond, just giving up on skipping them all together.

He was standing next to me before I noticed he was even there. He didn't say anything, and neither did I. There was a sort of silent communication between us when he raised his eyebrows at me questionably, as if he was saying, You're not supposed to be out here. I just shrugged, silently saying, Neither are you, and I don't care. He just smiled, a smile that then I was sure most girls sighed in excitement over. He was taller than me by at least a foot, with short blonde hair and the most beautiful blue eyes I'd ever seen. He had been at the funeral too. He wore a charcoal grey suit. The first two buttons on the white dress shirt underneath were unbuttoned and out of his pocket hung the ends of the striped tie he must have been wearing earlier that day. He held a round, flat, smooth rock in his hand, rubbing it with his thumb to get my attention on it. Then, seeing I've noticed, he pulls his hand back and tosses it out across the water where it skipped several times before finally sinking to the bottom. He turns and looks down at me, smiling—and not a smug smile that I expected from having just showed me up, but a kind smile. He saw me trying to skip rocks, I realize, and was trying to help me succeed in the task.

He looked around for a few seconds before he reached down, picking up two more flat rocks that were about the same size as the one he had just thrown and handed one to me. He shifted so I'd notice the angle of his body and the position of his feet. He held his hand out, showing me how he was holding his rock with just his index finger curling around the edge and his thumb holding it in place against his middle finger. He then pulled his arm back, and in one quick, fluid movement, sent the rock skipping across the pond. He was good at skipping rocks, and, like everyone else I'd seen do it, it looked easy to him.

Unsure if it would really help at all, I mimicked his pose and the way he held his rock. I tossed my own rock out into the pond only to watch it sink like every other one I had thrown already.

"Here," he said, handing me another rock, "try again." His voice was deep, but there was a certain gentleness about his words that dissolved my anger and frustration almost instantly. Taking the rock, I once again positioned myself at an angle and held the rock like he did, then pulled back my arm and threw the smooth rock at the water. That time it skipped a whole three times before it sunk.

I turned to the boy, smiling triumphantly, just when someone called my name, erasing my smile and reminding me that I had left my parents without permission. I had lost track of time all together, and I knew I was going to have some serious explaining to do to my no doubt angry parents. Without saying so much as thank you to him, I took off, running back to the house toward the voice that was still calling my name.

I smile at the memory that had gotten lost over the years; a memory that he never forgot. Trying to be quiet, I find a decent rock and walk slowly until I'm standing beside him with only a few feet between us, much like he did with me that day. He turns to looks at me, not seeming caught off guard by my being here. I shift my feet and pull my hand back, flicking the rock across the lake. It sinks after ten skips, and I turn to look up at Cato who is smiling fondly at me. The smile reminds me of the way he looked at Ana—a thought that somehow disappoints me. I don't want him to look at me the way he did with Ana, the girl who seemed like family to him. "You remember," he says, picking up another rock, "and have gotten better."

"I don't know why I didn't remember sooner." Maybe it was the fact that it was only that one short time that we met, or maybe it was because we never really even spoke to each other that day all those years ago.

"It was a long time ago; I'm actually surprised you remembered at all. I thought for sure I was going to have to end up reminding you, and even then, I was almost certain you still wouldn't have remembered."

"But you did."

He snorts, as if me pointing this out to him was somehow funny. He tosses his rock and it skips across the lake perfectly. "Yes, but you're hard to forget. Even then."

He's done it again; he's managed to stop my ability to breathe. I don't know how I'm supposed to respond to that, or even how_ anyone_ would respond to that. In the movies, this would be the point where the girl throws herself at the boy, passionately kissing him with some crap muttered about love when they break apart. But this isn't a movie, and I don't know how to describe what I'm feeling about this small, yet huge, confession from Cato. First last night, and now this. I should have stayed in bed this morning.

He takes a slow step closer to me, and even though I want to take a step back away from him, my feet feel as if they are planted in cement where I stand. It's like my body is screaming at me to stop trying to get away from him. His eyes are searching my face for something like reassurance or understanding—nothing that I can bring myself to give him, because my ability to speak has seized to work with the smaller the distance between us gets.

"You were just a scrawny little girl then, breaking rules and getting mad at rocks, but something about you stuck with me all this time. But, if you'd asked me, I couldn't tell you why then and I won't be able to tell you why now; you just did." He runs his hand through the front of his damp hair, tugging at it before he lets go in what looks like a nervous gesture. I find the thought comforting, knowing at least I'm not the only one of us feeling like that right now. "It wasn't until two years after that day that I learned your name and who you were from one of those stupid gossip websites." He spits that last part out with disgust, no doubt thinking about the night at the last hotel we stayed at when the pictures were posted. It seems like weeks since that night when really it's only been a little over two days since then. "Even though our worlds are so much alike, I was never once in the same room as you again after that day."

My heart is beating so hard and fast against my chest that I worry he can see—maybe even hear—it as he takes another agonizingly slow step towards me, leaving only inches between us now. He opens his mouth to say something else just as his phone goes off.

He hangs his head, shaking it in a sad sort of frustrated way while he digs his phone back out of his pocket. As soon as he takes his eyes off me, I'm freed from my frozen state. I have to take a step back to regain my balance; it's as if his eyes alone were holding me up in my place. I watch as he walks a few feet away from me, talking in a hushed voice, most likely not wanting me to hear his conversation. Trying not to be nosey, I turn and face the lake. It's not blue like the ocean, but with as the sun gets higher, it almost looks like the lake is made up of green sea crystals that rippled out into small, beautiful white-capped waves. The tightness in my chest is gone and my heart has stop trying to pound out of my chest. Now standing here, having time to think about what just happened a new confusion, that only Cato could cause, washes over me as I feel both disappointed and relieved by the phone call he just took. I think this was the most Cato has every said to me at one time but a part of me had a overwhelming urge to take my own step towards him to stop his confession, while another part of me wanted to run in the opposite direction as fast as I could to get away.

Even with my attention on the lake and a thousand thoughts running through my head, Cato's voice carries, and I pick up pieces of his short conversation. His responses consist of short, to-the-point, one or two worded answers, and when he is done, I hear a tight and curt thank you—very Cato. I turn around to face him once I hear him heading back in my direction. I'm surprised to see a huge grin on his face. The phone call must have been better than it sounded, I think.

"Come on," he says, placing his hand on my back once he's standing next to me and lightly pushing me forward back in the direction of the cabin. "Let's get back. I have a surprise for you."

* * *

There you have it, the first time they met. Such a small simple meeting between the two of them but it seemed so perfect to me.

I can almost hear your frustration with me after reading the last bit of this chapter, and for that Im sorry. They were so close, I know. I do promise that I'm not trying to purposely tease you with almost kissing moments, it just comes out that way.

You should all thank Ashley for having this chapter back so crazy fast. (and again I added to this chapter once I got it back so any mistakes are one me).

I didn't think I was going to have time to post it today but I got home a lot earlier than I thought I would.

Now try not to yell too much at me, I promise all this build up will be worth it. :)

-CM


	11. Surprises

Surprises

* * *

This time there is no uncertainty or caution when I try and think about what Cato has planned now. The only thing I'm feeling is actual excitement and anticipation for whatever it is.

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but when we get back to the cabin, it's the same as when I left it earlier. Cato hops up the steps and holds the door open for me, still in a strange bubbly mood since we left the lake. "We've got about an hour. I'm going to take a shower. You should eat." I walk past him, not sure how to act with him being so happy.

"I ate a bagel before I left."

He nods and walks into the bedroom, pulling his sweat-soaked workout shirt over his head as he goes. The sight of him without a shirt causes my breath to catch and my mouth to go dry. His back is just as sculpted and toned as the rest of him, there can't be an ounce of fat anywhere on him. I have to force myself to look away, even though I get the feeling now that he doesn't mind that I stare. I wonder momentarily that if I were to walk around half-dressed if I would have the same effect on him as he does on me. I can't help but laugh a little at the thought.

Grabbing a glass of water, I sit on the couch and wait for Cato to finish his shower. Leaning back against the arm of the couch, pulling my knees up, and holding my glass out over my knees in front of me I try again to figure out what the hell is happening to me. I shouldn't want to stare at Cato, but it's pointless to fight with myself over the issue. The bottom line is I want to look at him; I want to know everything about him. But it's not only that, I want things from Cato I've never wanted from anyone before. Such a huge part of me wanted so badly for him to kiss me out by the lake, and in the moment, it scared me. These types of feelings, whatever they are, shouldn't be felt towards him. He's still a stranger to me. I smile. Even thinking that doesn't sound right. I know Cato. I know the part of him others don't get the chance to see. I've seen him laugh and smile, real genuine smiles. I've seen him demanding and controlling, and I've seen him gentle and caring. This morning I saw him nervous for the first time, and even though I was just as nervous, if not more, I wanted to make that go away for him. He's put his whole life on hold, something I'm sure his father can't possibly be pleased with, for me, for a second chance to get to know me. But now that he is, is it enough for him? Or for me?

"You should change." Startled, I jump, spilling water all over myself and the couch. I didn't even hear him come out of the shower. "Shit. Let me get a towel." He disappears back into the bathroom and returns with a towel before I even have a chance to say I can do it myself. "What were you thinking so hard about?"

I feel heat rush to my cheeks, so I turn and make my way to the kitchen with my empty glass and hope that he was too busy wiping up the water to notice. "Wondering about what you could possibly have planned."

"Katniss, I'm Cato Bronn, the possibilities are endless. But rest assured that you will love this."

I can't help but laugh at his cockiness. Once I turn back to look at him, he just shrugs like this is a known fact and he only stated the truth. I can only shake my head and try not to keep laughing as I go into the bedroom to change.

"Jeans," he yells, "Oh, and where your hair pinned back." I hear his phone ring then, and he says something about taking the call outside.

I dig through the bag until I find a pair of black jeans and a simple white tank top before heading to change in the bathroom.

I'm braiding my hair when he knocks on the door. "I hope you're not hiding in there." Tying of the end of the braid, I open the door. His eyes widen just the slightest as he takes a step back so I can walk out. I hold out my arms and do a quick turn.

"Will this work for whatever it is you have planned?" I glance down at my outfit while smoothing out the soft fabric of my top. The jeans are tighter than I would like them to be, but not uncomfortable enough to make me want to change, and the tank top has a deep scooped neck line that I thought would help me test the idea that I might have some kind of effect on Cato.

When I look back up at him, I catch a look I haven't seen before, one I can't name, but he quickly hides it and reaches up, tugging my braid. "I like this look on you. Now come on, your surprise just got here." He walks out of the room and I follow quickly, trying to keep up with his long steps. "Alright," he says stopping at the door. "This is going to take the rest of the day; we will only break for lunch. Do you think you can handle that?" I feel like an anxious school child as I nod excitedly at him, wanting him to just tell me what it is already.

He smiles, one of those crazy beautiful smiles that give me the urge to stand up on my tippy toes and kiss him—an urge that right now I don't try to figure out. This feeling, whatever it is, isn't going to disappear just because I push the thought away.

He pulls the door open and reveals a man and a woman finishing setting up what look like targets. At this point, I think it's become Cato's goal to make me stop breathing all together. I can feel his eyes on me as I take in the set up in front of me.

On the ground, laid out on a thick trap like blanket, are five different bows, each a different size and style. Propped up against the tree next to the bows are several quivers full of arrows, each quiver holding a different set of arrows, most likely for each different bow.

"Cato," I manage to whisper, still completely surprised by what he's put together for me.

"You said you wanted to learn."

I turn to look up at him to see him watching me intently. "Come on," he says holding out his hand for me. I smile up at him and take his hand more willingly than ever. "Let's get you started."

Once we start moving down the porch, the man and woman look up smiling and walk toward us, meeting us next to where the bows lie. "Hello, you must be Katniss. I'm Glimmer Shields, and this is my brother, Marvel." She holds out her hand and I have to drop Cato's to shake it, then shaking Marvel's as well.

Glimmer is only a few inches taller than me, with blonde hair pulled back tightly in a ponytail. Marvel is about the same height—maybe an inch taller than her—with the same blonde hair only shorter and styled messily. They are both wearing black, form-fitting yoga-like pants and tops that say "London Archery" across them.

"Nice to meet you," I say once I've shook their hands.

"Well, we are ready to get started if you are." Marvel looks at Cato, "Are you sure you don't want to have a lesson as well?"

I look up at Cato confused, "You don't want to learn?"

"No, this is for you." The corners of his lips turn up just the slightest bit to a smile. "Now have fun," he says, pushing me forward playfully.

Glimmer is next to me, explaining basic safety while handing me an armguard and a shooting glove that she says will help my grip and protect my hand. She pouts when the glove doesn't fit, and goes in search of another one in their SUV.

Marvel takes her place beside me with a bow in hand. It's the smallest of the five, and to me, it looks like a child's bow. "I can handle a bigger one." I say confidentially.

He laughs, "I'm sure you can, but how about we practice aiming first? Now before you can even start we need to determine if you need a right-handed or a left-handed bow. These are all right-handed. Cato informed us that you were right-handed, but in case he's wrong, we brought left-handed bows as well." I look back at Cato, who is sitting on the porch watching me and Marvel, not looking quite as happy as he had been just a few minutes ago. "To determine that, we need to figure out which eye is your dominant." He sets the bow down gently and instructs me to hold my hands out one over the other so that they make a triangle, leaving a small peep hole in the webs of my thumbs. He guides my hands so that I am aiming them at one of the targets. He then tells me to focus on the target with both eyes open through the peep hole. He drops his hand from my arm, and tells me to—one at a time—close each eye and look at the same target. Closing my left eye, the target disappears, and doing the same with my right eye, it reappears in the peep hole confirming that I will be using the right handed bows.

I shouldn't be surprised that Cato somehow guessed this, and resist the urge to look back at him, knowing very well he's still watching me.

Glimmer returns still pouting, saying she doesn't have a glove that will fit my fingers. Marvel seems to think this won't be a serious problem that will stop the lesson, and hands me the small bow.

I examine the bow as Glimmer points out each part, naming them for me. She adjusts her pose, telling me to stand in the same position as her. She then picks up her own bow, showing me how to hold it correctly. I bring the bow up, mimicking her stance, and Marvel adjust my fingers so that I'm holding the bow right, and turns my shoulders so that I'm standing correctly.

"Great, now before we use arrows, let's practice pulling back the bowstring." Glimmer coaches, doing it herself with ease. Taking a breath, I do the same, struggling more as I pull the tight bowstring on my bow back so that the sting is next to my cheek. She tells me to hold it in this position as Marvel adjusts me, lifting my left arm so the bow is level, and bringing down my right elbow so that it's parallel to the ground. Glimmer then brings the string back in and instructs me to do the same just as Cato joins us.

He's smiling a smile that is very obviously fake as he places a hand on Marvel's shoulder, using his other hand to gesture away from Glimmer and me, pointing out that he would like a word. I watch as they go, slightly confused by the crocked smirk that he sends me as he turns to leave.

"So it's true," I hear Glimmer mutter, her voice sounding defeated. I'm almost positive she didn't mean for me to hear, so I act as if I didn't. She instructs me to continue pulling back the string and then slowly bringing it back until I become comfortable with the resistance of the bow before she goes and joins Cato and Marvel.

I do as I'm told, but not without chancing a glance at the three of them. I have to fight the urge to laugh when I see the intimidating look Cato has that has the confident Marvel that was standing here minutes ago looking quite frightened. Glimmer looks concerned as she says something to Cato, who doesn't take his eyes off Marvel. I roll my eyes. He should learn to be nicer, I think. These two have come all the way out here to us to teach me, it's the least he could do, really.

When Glimmer and Marvel return, they have switched positions. Now Glimmer stands next to me and Marvel on the other side with a bow. Realizing then what Cato's problem was, I snap my head back to look at him. I'm not able to hold my glare for long, because his nonchalant shrug that matches his humorous grin is amusing to me. I can only roll my eyes at him and turn my attention back to my archery lesson.

The rest of the day goes by fast, even with the break we took for lunch. It doesn't seem like I've had enough time with the bows when they announce it's time for them to pack up and go. After practicing with just the bow and imaginary arrows for an hour, I was able to practice with the arrow, only notching it and holding it in place for the first half hour. Once I was able to actually send the arrow flying, it was exhilarating. The first three arrows had missed the targets completely, but the forth hit in the second furthest ring from the center of a target. By the end of my lesson, every arrow hit one of targets, but none ever got close enough to the bulls eye to make me happy. I only once got Cato to try, but it was only once because he wasn't very good at all and just got impatient with Marvel. When he left us to continue, he said that this was definitely my thing and not his.

"You're a natural." Marvel said as he and Glimmer loaded up the equipment.

"I have to agree, you hardly needed any coaching once you got the basics down. It's rare we see someone who gets so many actual target hits in the first lesson." Glimmer says, beaming like a proud coach at me. "You have got to come to the range while you're in Canada."

"I don't know," I attempt to come up with some excuse, because being around people isn't my strong suit, and I don't see myself as good as she and Marvel seem to think I am.

"Really, the other coaches would love you!"

"She has that effect on people," Cato finally says something from beside me that gets a generous nod from Glimmer and a hesitant agreeing smile from Marvel. I on the other hand try and act like I didn't just here what Cato said. I thank both Glimmer and Marvel for taking the day to come out here to teach me and say goodbye, making my way back in the cabin for a drink hoping for a chance alone to clear my head.

My hands are tender, and my shoulders and arms are sore from the constant use of the bow today. I know I'm really going to feel this later tonight and tomorrow. Lifting the glass to my lips is a shaky task, and I put it back down on the counter before Cato comes in and sees. I don't want him to think that this surprise was a bad idea.

Just the thought of him now makes me smile. His doing this for me wasn't something I expected, but nothing he does seems to be. The idea is warming. Cato has made me the happiest I've been since before my dad's death, and I don't think there is anything I could ever do to thank him for that. He's managed to slowly drag me out of this groove I've been in and back to being the person I was, if not a whole new person. But not only has he done that, he's somehow managed to get feelings stirred up in me that I've never known—feelings that are both frightening and somehow comfortably natural. But now, the more I think about them, the more time I spend with him, the less frightening they really are.

"Did you have fun today?"

This time when he sneaks up, I only jump a little, turning when I do so it won't look so obvious that he's startled me again. "Yes," I start to say something else, but he's closer than I thought he was, so I almost slam right into him.

"Easy there," he says, holding my shoulders when I nearly lose my balance trying to step away.

He's so close to me, and his touch is strong, yet gentle, a combination I think that only Cato could manage. His eyes are shining with that look, the one I have yet to put a name to, the one I'm seeing more and more of now. Before I have time to think about what I'm doing, I stretch up on my tip toes to reach him, pressing my lips to his. He stiffens at first, his grip on my shoulders tightening, but only for a second. His surprise is gone as fast as it came, and his lips move purposefully against mine, his hands moving from my shoulders to my face, holding me in place. He pulls me closer to him, letting one of his hands drop to my waist holding me tight against him, as if at any given moment I might try and pull away from him, regretting this kiss.

His lips are warm and soft, fitting perfectly against mine. I want him to know that this isn't something I will regret, so I part my lips, allowing him to deepen the kiss. The act is rewarded with a noise that sounds more like a growl than a moan that makes my heart skip a beat. I lose myself in his kiss; the part of me that was scared of this has dissolved and has been replaced with a need so great that it hurts.

When he finally pulls away from me, I keep my eyes closed, as if it will keep me in the moment a little longer. His fingers trace my lips and up my jaw line, leaving what feels like a tingling trail of fire.

"Thank you," I somehow manage to say once I open my eyes, my ability to speak after kissing him like that surprising me.

"For kissing you?" he says half amused half curious.

"Well no...yes…" I shake my head, trying to get some kind of thought to form, and ignore the fact that I must seem weird for thanking him for a kiss. "For the archery lesson."

Chuckling, he kisses my forehead, sending a vibration straight through me. "You're very welcome. You seemed so happy out there, I felt like I should have asked them to stay."

I shake my head, stepping back so I can look up at him better. "You wouldn't have done that."

"You think?"

"Yes, I thought for a minute you were going to send Marvel home this morning," I say, feeling a bit more cocky than I should be, but I'm not stupid, I know why he pulled Marvel to the side and he can't deny it to me.

"He was getting too comfortable with you," he puts simply with a shrug, reaching past me for a glass. "That's not what I hired him for." While he takes a drink, I realized he's grabbed my glass instead of getting his own.

"Are you trying to say you were jealous?" I try to make it seem like a joke, but I'm curious to know if that really was the case.

He snorts, nearly spitting his water out in the process. "Of him, no."

"What did you say to him that you couldn't say in front of me?"

He has that sly grin that he gets when he's about to skirt around my question as he sets the glass back on the counter. "I only reminded him why I asked them here in the first place, and told him it would be in his best interest not to forget that again." I'm know I should be upset with him being this way about me, especially with Marvel who was only coaching me, but instead of getting upset the thought sends a buzz through me that makes me want to reach up and kiss him again.

Cato's hand has found my braid while he was talking, and he gently pulls my hair tie out. "I thought you liked the braid?" I ask, running my finger through my hair, undoing the braid.

"I do. By I like it down like this, too," he says, letting his fingers play through my hair.

This is all so new to me, but his touch is more comforting than anything I've felt before. I tilt my head into his hand, closing my eyes. What has he done to me?

"You know," he says. "I've wanted to kiss you since you punched me." I open my eyes to look at him as my chest tightens at yet another confession from him. "I just wanted to talk to you then, but seeing you even after all that time ignited something inside me, and you punching me didn't help." He brushes my hair back out of my face, letting his hands slide down and cup my face. "I never thought that you would be the one to kiss me though." Bending down, he kisses me again. A softer, much shorter kiss than the first; one that leaves me wanting more. "But you're good at surprising me."

It's hard to imagine that I've been surprising him as much as he has been me. I don't know what I could possibly say that would be able to amount to much after what he's just said. So I hold on to his arms, using them to balance myself as I push up to reach his lips again.

Whenever I imagined kissing, it was nothing like what I'm feeling now. It's as if my whole body has set on fire, bringing a part of me to life that never existed before now. And after kissing Cato, I don't think I could imagine kissing anyone else. Though maybe that's what everyone thinks when they kiss someone.

His arms wrap around me, pulling me up so I don't have to reach for him. The weight of his arms holding me and the warmth of his body against mine is enough to make me melt into him, making me grateful that he's holding me, otherwise I'm sure I'd sink to the floor on shaky legs.

His lips stop moving against mine, but linger just centimeters away as he sets me back down.

"Glimmer said something about it being true when you pulled Marvel away to talk. I figured she meant the post, but do you think they will say something?"

He steps back, "We have an agreement, but that doesn't always make a difference. As long as they keep where we're staying to themselves, I could care less what story they sell."

It doesn't sound right. This is the same guy who got infuriated with pictures being posted, so for him not to care what they may say doesn't fit. My kissing him couldn't have possibly changed that. "But the last time—"

"I've already told you that it wasn't the pictures that set me off," he says, trying to hide the edge in his voice from me, but I catch it and the anger in his eyes. "The last time was nothing but some nobody sitting behind a computer creating lies." He stops, taking a breath trying to calm himself. "But now they wouldn't be lies… unless you're trying to tell me that another kiss like that won't be in my future," he says, letting his fingers glide down my cheek like feathers caressing my face.

I should think about this, about what he's saying and even silently suggesting. But, I can't think about anything but the fact that his touch has made my heart rate speed up and given me the overwhelming need to kiss him again. There's no point in trying to fight against whatever this new need for Cato is. I slide my hands up his arms and into his hair, pulling him back to me as I do.

I can think later.

* * *

Are youas happy as me? I loved loved loved writing this chapter.

Now as for the names of the coaches, I was going to uses some of my own, but one of you suggested a while back that I incorporate other Hunger Games characters into this story as well. So far I have given you Prim Sae Boggs Gale Clove and now Glimmer and Marvel. Anyone else you would like to see? If any of you ask for Peeta be warned I will in no way let him interrupt my Catoniss.

I should say I was surprised that very few of you were bothered by the almost kiss moment last chapter, I'm glad to see that a lot of you feel the same way I do. :)

To those of you who review every single chapter, can I just say I love you? Cause I do. Don't get me wrong I love everyone who reads but reviews let me know what you're thinking and to be honest encourage me to write more.

Alright I've given you the surprise and kissing in the same chapter, tell me how excited you are.

-CM


	12. Omnia Causa Fiunt

Omnia Causa Fiunt

* * *

I didn't think that one kiss—well, maybe more than one kiss—could change so much. Cato is still the same Cato that I've become so use to, and yet he's so very different at the same time. There's a happiness about him now that, right now, only I get to see. He's still is short and to the point but he's more open then he was before with me. He stands closer to me, which makes my fingers itch to touch him. I catch him looking at me more with that look that only he has given me, and he does this thing now where he randomly runs his fingers through my hair. I leave it down for the rest of the day, just for that touch from him.

He insisted we go out to eat for dinner. The small, red trailer with the white canopy shade that extended out the side that he led us to scared me I thought for sure anyone who ate there had a certain death wish. "Looks can be deceiving," he assured me. For it being small and off the main roads, the place was packed with people; nearly every chair was occupied with someone. Cato, who of course thought ahead, led us straight to the only empty patio table. I ordered from a menu that was full of things that just reading made my mouth water. Still, it wasn't until we got our food that came out looking beautiful and started eating that I acknowledged Cato for being right. This place can't be judged by its looks. As we ate, he told me about his studies at Harvard, and just from listening, I need a break. I don't know how he managed two years without a break, but then again, that's what I had planned to do. He asked again about university, but, again, I couldn't answer. Not because I don't know where I would go anymore, but because I don't know if school will be top priority anymore.

For the first time since the photos of us were posted, I don't look to see, or even care, if someone has noticed us and maybe even taken our picture; I let myself really relax and enjoy myself with him.

Cato, coming out of a steam-filled bathroom, distracts me, and to be honest, if he were to ask me right now what I was thinking about, I wouldn't be able to remember unless he gave me a few seconds to get my thoughts back together. He has a pair of pajama pants on, but no shirt, and with the way he walks to the bed almost purposefully, I know he doesn't plan to put one on. I try to hide the shaky breath I take in as I think about sleeping next to him shirtless.

"You look tired," he says, crawling into bed. Unlike last night, he doesn't keep his body as close to the edge of the bed as possible, and neither do I, but still, there is a space between us that I don't want to be there.

"I am," I say, smiling up at him and thinking back on the archery lesson that I probably would have never done if it weren't for him. I think that maybe he figured that out on his own. I'm still surprised by how he managed to get it all arranged without I having the slightest clue he was up to something. I should watch him closer.

We stay like this, only a foot or so apart, just watching at each other. This should be awkward, I think, but it's not—not with Cato.

His eyes become heavy and close before mine giving me a chance to really look at him. His breathing is steady, but he's not quite asleep yet. His hair still damp and messy from his shower, and his broad shoulder hunched a bit with the way he has his arm rested under his pillow.

My eyes land on the tattoo he has on his shoulder. It's the first time I've really had a chance to look at it up close like this. From what I've seen of him, it's the only one he has. The three words on his shoulder, each under the other, have a simplistic beauty about them. The tattoo still a crisp black—he hasn't had it long, maybe a few months, a year at the absolute most. My hands tingles with a longing to reach out and touch him, but I force myself to resist, not wanting to bother him when he's so close to being asleep.

The thick lines and curves of the letters are precise and flow smoothly over his muscles almost like they were meant to be on his shoulder and his shoulder only.

My fingers, moving to their own accord, are tracing the letters of each word that has to be another language. Latin it seems but I don't really know the language so I can't be sure.

"Omnia causa fiunt." The foreign words roll off his tongue strong and smooth, letting me know these three words are not the only words of this language he knows. My eyes meet his. "It means 'Everything happens for a reason'; something my mother would always tell me." _Would._ A part of my heart aches after hearing the way he said it, and I don't think he meant to say it that way. Most people wouldn't catch it, but I do, and not because I know him that well, but because I recognize the pain behind the words. I know that pain. I think back and try to remember ever hearing anything about Mrs. Bronn, but I can't think of a single time her name was ever brought up.

"Latin?" I ask, thinking it's best to avoid asking about her.

"Yes, she loved the language even though few know it anymore." I know he's talking about his mom again. I can hear the waiver in his voice he is trying so hard to hide from me. I know what he's doing, he's offering more information to me about who he is, but she is not someone he really wants to talk about, and I don't intend to push him, not on this.

"And you can speak it too?"

His eyes are still on me, but they get a far off look, like he's remembering something. "Yes."

"Will you say something else for me?" The way he spoke it minutes ago, so smoothly like it was a natural second language for him, made me want to hear him use the language again. Latin is a language that is often referred to as a dead language. I've heard it used before, in school. I remember being told that this dead language is slowly working its way back to life.

As soon as I ask, I know I shouldn't have; his face falls, becoming serious in mere seconds. "I know the language, but it doesn't mean I like speaking it whenever anyone asks." He smiles, trying to convince me he's joking, but I know him better than that now. Latin must have been something that just he and his mom shared. Latin is for him what my car is for me—something that was theirs and theirs only.

I watch him as he concentrates on me, silently thinking something over very carefully. What I wouldn't give to know what he is thinking not just now, but every time he looks at me like this.

My eyes begin to get heavy, a few more blinks and I would be gone for the night, but his voice wakes me back up, and for a few minutes, it's like I'm completely refreshed and not tired at all. "Vitae erat simplex ante te. It means," he reaches over, touching my face with just the tips of his fingers, the touch causing goose bumps to rise on my arms, "life was simple before you." I repeat the words in my head, vitae erat simplex ante te. I want to tell him that life is anything but simple, but I don't want to ruin this moment for him, or for me. He's sharing yet another part of him with me, willingly on his own.

Simple. I try to think of a time when my life was simple, maybe before my dad died, but maybe not even then. I'm not sure. It's hard to think of what is simple now days.

"You were right, you know, about me running away." He's told me so much these last few days, I owe him a confession of my own. The words were spilling out of my mouth in almost a whisper before I really decided I wanted to tell him this. "I wanted to get away for just a little bit, from all my new responsibility." And the fake love from my deceitful family, I want to say, but I decide against telling him that, because as much as I always disagreed with him, they are my family, and to talk down about them behind their backs is something he never would have done and neither will I. "It was harder than I thought it would be… to walk away, even though I knew I would return. I had no idea what I was doing, where I was going, and even who I was anymore." I catch what looks like confusion in his eyes, but it doesn't seem right, he knew I had no real plan from the start. "Then there you were, so sure, leading the way, acting like you could see a me that I couldn't. I think that's why I trusted you so easily, because I wanted to know…to see what you saw when you looked at me." I stop, closing my eyes, feeling more relieved than I would have imagined by saying these things to him.

His hand is on my waist light, weightless for a split second, and then he is gripping onto me and pulling me across the bed into his bare chest. I don't move at first, and I let him hold me against him, taking in his warmth and his smell. This isn't what I wanted to get out of saying that. I don't want him or anyone to think I need to be held or comforted.

Finally, I place my hands on his chest leaning back so I can look up at him. "I don't need to be cradled," I say as seriously as I can, but there still is a joking hint about my voice that I didn't mean to be there. I think, maybe because I don't want to hurt his feeling or because it's not like I don't want this affection from him, it's why he is giving it to me that I don't like it.

He laughs, "Believe me, I know you don't. This," he tightens his arm around me, pulling that much closer to him, "is strictly self-indulgent on my part," he says, then plants a kiss on the top of my head, my forehead, nose, and, finally, my lips. This kiss, like every other one before it, consumes me. I shift and lift my head more so I can better reach him, sliding my hand up to the back of his neck. His kiss doesn't last long enough, but even so, I don't protest when he pulls away then softly leads my head back down so that's it's resting on him. "Now sleep."

I don't need the direction, because my eyes are still closed, my mind still holding on to the feel of his lips and a calm sleep comes over me in what feels like only seconds after my head is laid on his shoulder.

* * *

Thank you all for being so patient with me, I know the wait in between chapters isn't fun. You should all thank my lovely Beta for making time for this chapter while she has TONS going on.

This chapter is short because it's only a small moment between them one that needed to been seen before we go any further. Cato knows Latin! Only my sister will understand how big that is. Anyways, Cato and Katniss are both opening up more to each other, you should all be very happy!

I know you guys are so curious about what really got Cato so mad a few chapters back and I promise you will find out but you have to be patient, it will come out when it needs to come out.

As Always thank you for all the follows alerts and reviews, my email loves you all as much as I do! :) Which reminds me 121 REVIEWS! AH! I LOVE YOU ALLL SO MUCH! Your reading and support for this story, ah, I cant even begin to tell you how happy it makes me so thank you thank you thank you!

Now, I've given you shirtless Cato, kissing, and cuddles all in one chapter, tell me how happy you are! :)

-CM


	13. Cheaters

Cheaters

* * *

I've never been held like this when I slept, at least not that I can remember. If it ever happened, it was when I was a small child being cuddled by my mom or dad. I can't remember a time when I slept better or longer. I thought I would wake up to an empty cabin like yesterday, but I woke up wrapped in the same warmth I fell asleep in. Not wanting to wake him, I lay still in his arms with my head buried in his chest and listen to his heart. It only takes me a few seconds to realize his breathing isn't steady enough for him to be asleep, but it's not just that's that tips me off. He's begun to idly pet my hair. I think that I could lie here all day like this without feeling an ounce of guilt. I begin to imagine what it would be like to just spend the day in bed with Cato like this, being held this way while we talk about any and everything, the kisses that would make us lose our train of thought. Never before, I think, has an idea been so alluring. I would, without a doubt right now, tell him whatever he wanted to know about me, something that I've never once even considered to do. The thought raises several red flags; I shouldn't think that way, but right now, being wrapped in Cato's arms, it's hard to think of it as a bad idea.

When his hand stops at the back of my head, and he bends down and kisses me, he knows I'm not asleep anymore as I let out a sigh like breath, giving myself away. "Good morning," he whispers with his lips still against my hair.

"Good morning," I mumble, nuzzling my head into his chest. His chest vibrates and I know he's laughing at me, even though I can't hear him, so I crane my head so I can look at him. "What?" I say once I see that I was right.

He shifts, moving his arm out from under me, cupping my face, and I have to prop myself up on my elbow to give myself the extra height that's gone now from laying on him. I think he's going to kiss me and I'm ready, more than ready, for his kiss, but he doesn't. He just stares at me with a content smile on his face. "What are you thinking about?" I ask, because I can't tell for sure. He looks like he is in awe, but that can't possibly be right.

He inhales like he's about to deliver a long speech as his hand brushes across my forehead. "That you have the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen. They're like the sky during a thunder storm," he pauses to kiss me right above my eyes, and then pulls back so he can look at me again. "They're breathtaking," He says tilting his head down to kiss me, giving me the only thing I can imagine wanting right now. I cling to him, pressing my body against his, wanting every part of me to be touching him. His arm snakes around my waist and in one quick movement he's rolled us over so that he hovers above me putting too much space between us so I try and pull him back down to me. Reluctantly he pulls his lips away from me his breathing as heavy as mine "I'm going to go run before it gets hot. Do you want to come, too?"

I'm not sure if I could stand, let alone run, right now, but there's a hint of a challenge when he asks if I want to come along. "I'm fast Cato," I warn. "You wouldn't be able to keep up with me."

Giving me a quick kiss, he rolls out of bed. "Is that a challenge?" he asks, raising his eye brows at me as I scoot to the edge of the bed.

I shrug, "Take it however you want."

Shaking his head, he grabs my shoulders lifting me off the bed so that I'm standing up in front of him. "I think you're challenging me," he says with his voice low and lips just inches from mine. I wonder how I'm even standing right now, and then I remember that he is still holding on to me, it has to be the only thing keeping me up. "I accept your challenge, but _I_ should warn _you_," he says, and then one second his hands are on my shoulders, the next his arms have me wrapped and pulled flush against him. He's kissing me so hard, so passionately, that I have no time to even think or respond before he sets me back down, leaving me in a daze as he steps away from me. "I don't play fair." And with that, he leaves me and walks into the other room.

What in the world have I gotten myself in to? I feel like I shouldn't be breathing. I stand here and fight the urge I have to make him forget about this whole running thing, and stay here with me and forget the whole world exists. I wonder if this is how it is with everyone when they're involved with someone. This is all happening so fast, all these feelings, urges, and needs I have become flooded with can't happen to just me. This is the kind of thing they write books and make movies about, right? No, that's much more than what this is, I can't think like that, not about Cato, definitely not this soon.

I place my hands in my head. I just want to be next to him, to kiss him, to let him hold me all night again; to learn everything there is to know about him and I could care less about anything else, and that is never good. Even knowing that I still don't care, I can think later. There's always later.

Cato comes back in the room with only his gym shorts and tennis shoes on. I inwardly groan, of course he's going to run shirtless; he wasn't lying when he said he doesn't play fair. He has an evil sense of humor, I think, but two can play this game, so I smile and walk past him, digging through my bag for workout clothes. "You should go warm up," I say, trying to get him away. "I'll meet you outside in a few minutes."

He watches me for a second, I'm sure already figuring out what I have up my sleeve, then shrugs and walks outside. Once the door shuts behind him, I hurry into the bathroom with my clothes and change. I tie my hair up in a pony tail and look at myself in the mirror before going out to join Cato. This might back fire on me, and a part of me hopes that it will as I straighten myself up and walk out.

His back is to me, he's bent over his right leg out further with his heel in the ground as he pulls his toes back, stretching his calf muscle. I take a deep breath, knowing there is no turning back now.

I purposely jump down from the porch loudly, getting his attention. "It's about time, I thought—" He turns around to face me, stopping in mid-sentence when he sees me. His grin falls as he inhales with a gasp. I have to fight to keep myself from smiling or laughing. I never once been dressed in so little around anyone, but this is Cato. The form fitting carpi workout pants and the blue sports bra I chose seem to have done the trick, better than I could have hoped.

I don't waste any time, he's distracted now, so I take off past him, sticking to the thin, worn down path that leads to the lake. "I'm not going to play fair either," I call over my shoulder. I don't wait to see his reaction; I just push forward and hope I can keep this lead. Once I reach the end of the woods and run on to the beach, I take a right, not really knowing where I'm going, but keeping parallel to the lake that looks absolutely beautiful this early in the morning.

I hear Cato behind me laughing, so I pick up my speed, trying to keep as much distance as possible between us, "Cheater!" he yells, and I chance a glance over my shoulder to see how far he is from me. He's not close but not far enough away for me to feel secure with my lead. He's laughing as he shakes his head at me, not really even in a full run yet. This won't last long.

Running on sand is different from what I'm used to, so I try to make my way back closer to the tree line to help, but it's pointless because Cato is right on my heels. I have to think and think fast. I stop, turning around to face him quickly. I've caught him off guard and he barely stops in time. His breath is heavy and it takes all my will power to not look at him in this shirtless sweaty state. I take my chance again while he's distracted and run past him again, calling to him over my shoulder, "Last one back to the cabin makes breakfast."

I don't stick to the edge of the tree line. When I first started running, I noticed that there were, not only one, but several paths, and one of which crossed with the path leading to the cabin. I'm not sure if Cato knows this but it's my best bet of getting back before him.

I sprint as hard and as fast as I can until I can see the cabin, only stopping when I'm on the porch steps my breathing fast and heavy, I hunch over my hands on my knees and try to catch my breath. My legs that were burning while I ran now just feel like Jell-O as I stand up and look around. Still no sign of Cato, he couldn't have been that far back. I scan the tree line and the path that he should be coming from, but he's nowhere to be seen. I decide to go and wait for him inside, but as soon as I open the door I know I'm the one who has lost this race.

Cato is sitting on the couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table, taking a drink of water and smiling into his glass. How he managed to get here before me is beyond me. My first instinct is to demand how he managed to beat me back without me seeing him, my second is to just kiss him for being able to beat me. I do neither though and slump against the wall shaking my head, "You cheated."

"You cheated too."

"I'm not making breakfast for a cheater," I say jokingly pushing off the wall to go get my own glass of water. He stands and follows me in the small kitchen.

"And I should?" He says once he's right behind me with his face next to my ear.

"Yes," I say confidently, but it comes out gasped because he kisses me right below my ear. "You cheated first." He smiles against my skin while taking my arm and turning me so I'm facing him.

"You're right, I did." He says before he kisses me so quick and so soft, I'm not really sure if it happened or if I wanted it to happen so bad that I imagined it. "But it was worth it, because it made you cheat, and I must say Katniss," he steps back to look at me, and it's then that I remember what I put on for the first time since we started running, "I like your style of cheating is much better than mine."

There is no point in trying to stop or hide my blush, so I reach up and kiss him just as quickly as he did me, and walk past him, making my way to the couch and forgetting all about the water I went in there for in the first place.

I sit and watch him work quickly in the kitchen while he makes our breakfast. He joins me on the couch after a few minutes with a tray he sets of the coffee table with a glass of orange juice, two glasses of water, and two plates each with eggs, toast, and fruit. "When will you have to go home?"

It takes me a second for me to answer, because I have let myself forget about home for the most part while I was here. "I should already be home." I should have never left, but I needed the time away time to clear my head. He looks concerned when I say this, as he scoots closer to me.

"You want to go back home?" I stare at my plate of food, knowing my answer should be yes, but it's not, not yet.

"Not yet."

He smiles, "Good," then begins to eat. I follow his lead, eating every bit of my food, having worked up an appetite from running this morning. Cato clears our plates, letting me rest my still shaky legs. It's been too long since I've worked out in anyway; it's a reminder that I should get back into the habit, especially if I ever want to beat Cato without cheating.

"You're mad," he says, sitting back next to me on the couch. Confused, I look up at him. I'm not mad, I want to say, but he finishes before I can. "That's why you left in the first place, right, because you were mad?"

I watch him for a second, and then fall back into the couch. I don't have any reason to hide anything from him now, and I don't intend to, but it doesn't make it any easier to talk about. "His empire is mine. He left nothing to anyone but me. I knew someday it would be mine, but it wasn't supposed to be for years. I didn't know he had it all left to me, and maybe he wanted it that way, but everyone was mad. His funeral was nothing but whispered arguing, malicious rumors, and false condolences. It shouldn't have been like that." I stop for a second to read his reaction, and it's somehow both calm and concerned, so I go on, "My mother was the worst, I think, she asked me once to sign everything over to her, but I wouldn't do it, not to be greedy or hateful, but because she knew nothing of running any kind of business whereas I… he taught me everything I would need to know to carry on someday. So, she got mad, and just packed up and left. No goodbye, just a note and an empty room waited for us when we got home one day." My anger for her is obvious as I spit my words out. I stop, thinking its best to not keep going on about her. I can't handle talking about this anymore, and Cato seems to understand that, taking my hands and pulling me up off the couch with him.

"Come on," he says as he leads me into the bedroom; I follow without hesitation. He drops my hand once we're in the room, and rounds the bed, grabbing two pillows off the bed then coming to stand in front of me again.

"What are you doing?"

"Your problem is you just let all these emotions build up inside of you. You need a release." He positions the pillows in front of his chest. Realizing what he wants me to do, I shake my head and step back.

"I'm not hitting you."

"I'm not asking you to hit _me,_ I'm asking you to hit the pillows." He steps towards me and again, I step back still not liking this idea. "Besides, you can't possibly hit that hard that I would feel it through theses." He shakes the pillows at me mockingly, and I can't help but laugh. "Come on, let go Katniss. Get mad, hit the pillows, scream. Hell, destroy something if you need to, but you have to let your anger out before it's too much." With his eyes locked on mine, he steps towards me again, and this time I don't back away. "Trust me."

Watching him I take in his words, trust him, that I can do. I take a deep breath, clenching my fist, not once taking my eyes off him. He gives me a reassuring nod and grips the pillows tightly as I pull back and throw my first punch. I let out my breath and smile just a little because Cato was right, this does help, so again, I throw another punch, then another, then another, each one more with force behind it than the last. I get lost in my anger for everything I left behind, my family, my mother, my father's death, the lies, the back stabbing; every little thins runs through my head as I throw punch after punch into the pillows, until all of a sudden, I'm stopped. Cato has dropped the pillows at his feet and is holding my wrists, stopping me from punching anything anymore. My breath is heavy; my eyes rimmed with tears that burn because I refuse to let them fall. He stands inches from me, his eyes boring into a part of me that no one even knows exists. I can't force myself to look away from this trance he seems to have me locked in, so I stand frozen until he lets my hands drop. He moves my stray hairs out of my face, then rests his hand against my neck, "Better?" he whispers.

Tilting my head into his palm, I smile a little. I've never done anything like that before, never lost control, never let anyone see any emotion like this from me, but he was right, I needed it and I don't care that he saw it. In fact, I couldn't think of anyone else that I would rather have here with me right now. Cato won't judge this type of anger from me, he understands it. "Better."

* * *

This chapter is not what it was suppose to be and for that you should thank me. I rewrote it to be more sweet moments between them because, well, I felt like being nice. You're welcome.

A big thank you to my Beta, who has a ton going on and still makes time for editing Running for me. How did I get so lucky?

And an even bigger thank you to all of you, I mean seriously you all are the best!

As always thank you for the follows, alerts and reviews!

Now tell me your happy thoughts to get me through my day that will be not so fun.

-CM


	14. Tricks

Tricks

* * *

We spent the rest of our day acting our age, swimming in the lake, racing the four wheelers, and the most fun off all, scaring the park Ranger that patrols the part of the park we are in. The first time we were just attempting to creep some people out. Cato and I each stood on either side of the road, not looking at any of the cars, our chins down but our eyes locked just staring blankly at each other. When he finally came to pass us, he stopped a few yards short of us. Rolling down the window of his jeep, he hesitantly yelled for us to go back to our camp grounds immediately. For dramatic effect, we didn't more for a few seconds, and then Cato snapped his head to the side, looking right at the Ranger and sporting a wickedly evil grin. It was hard to keep a straight face as he pushed himself back into his seat and rolled his window back up. Cato drops the act then and casually walks across the street to meet me, taking my hand. We walk like normal people down the side of the road as if nothing ever happened. We both laugh when the Ranger did a u-turn so he didn't have to pass us. The second time, he was on a bike on one of the bike trails that Cato and I happened to go on. As soon as Cato saw him, he was already whispering his next plan in my ear. The Ranger was actually more scared this time than we thought he would be when both Cato and I jumped out at him after we had rolled ourselves in mud and dried grass and leaves, nothing too scaring in the middle of the day. It turns out that scaring a Ranger with a gun isn't wise. Cato sees him reach for it as he scrambles up from under his bike, cursing when he can't get the snap undone with his shaky hand. Cato is pulling me back towards the cabin through the woods, staying off any of the trails. We aren't even 20 feet away before we are both laughing so hard that we can hardly keep running straight. Once we're both far enough away from any chance of danger, I decide to take my chances racing Cato again.

I'm running before he even agrees, but I know he isn't far behind. I notice quickly that he is following me, so, as discreetly as possible, I lead us in the wrong way, hoping that he is too distracted with keeping up with me to notice I'm up to something. I pick up my speed, pushing forward as fast as I can until he can't see me anymore, then ducking quickly behind the first tree that will hide me. It doesn't take long for him to pass me, still going in the wrong direction. I smile, that worked better than I thought it would, I think as I take off the right direction. It's ten minutes before I get back to the cabin and I'm barely jogging feeling quite confident with myself.

Just as I thought, Cato is nowhere in sight, but remembering this morning, I make sure to check the cabin before I let myself get excited. I can't help but let out a small triumphant laugh after checking the cabin and seeing he isn't here and I really did beat him. No, not just beat him—tricked him, too. I set down on the bed, bouncing when I do, trying to decide if I should play it cool or rub it playfully in his face when he finally gets here. I jump when I hear my phone go off from inside the bed side table drawer. I'd forgotten all about the thing. Instantly I feel guilty for not having spoken more to Prim and Sae, or even bothering to check my emails from Boggs. I scramble to the side of the bed and dig it out just as it starts to ring again.

It's Boggs. I guess he's decided to call and check in since I have yet to send any type of reply to him. "Hey, Boggs."

"Katniss, I hope this isn't a bad time, but something very important has come up that deserves your attention." The tightness in his voice and the demanding business tone he only gets when something serious has happened has me standing alert and pacing the length of the room with the phone pressed tightly to my ear.

"What's happened?"

"Word has gotten to Mr. Bronn that I have control until your return," he begins, but I cut him off. That can't be possible; no one knows, but the fact that he is suggesting that Cato somehow knows has to be wrong.

"Cato?" I ask in a defending manner that causes Boggs to pause, confused maybe, or just giving himself a second to figure out my defensiveness towards him.

"No, Katniss, Mr. Drake Bronn, Cato's father." My mouth goes dry, why would it matter that he knew this small temporary detail? Even though in the moment I can't place why it matters, I get an uneasy feeling that him having this information should not to be disregarded. "He came in today with an offer to buy your father's enterprise." My stomach drops, and I have to brace myself on the wall as I grasp what Boggs has just told me. I haven't even had control for half a year, and already I could lose it all.

"Tell me you didn't do anything Boggs." My voice is low and demanding; I've come off so threatening towards him I scare myself.

"Of course I didn't, Katniss. You must know I would never do such a thing. Mr. Bronn underestimated my loyalty to you and your father, but regardless, I don't think he's done trying just yet." I nod even though I know he can't see me. I look up to see that Cato is just coming back, rounding the cabin in a slow jog making my stomach twists. "Katniss," he hesitates, "you understand what the timing of this implies don't you?" I can't bring myself to say anything against it because he's right, it implies a lot. "Cato has never once shown interest in you until you left," he continues his voice cautious, "and now with his father tying to step in…" I cover my mouth instinctively, thinking I'm going to be sick as what he thinks has happened sets in. Shaking my head, I tell myself it can't possibly be true, Cato wouldn't do this to me, but thinking it doesn't help change the facts. He's distracted me perfectly if what Boggs says is true; if it weren't for Cato, I would have most likely already been home and Cato's father wouldn't be an issue. I think back to all the time I've spent with Cato, him wanting to stay in off the map places, getting so upset when the pictures of the two of us came out, coming to Canada, even asking—out of the blue—when I was going home and replying, "good", when I said I wasn't ready yet. My stomach sinks even lower as I piece it all together. Everything he's done has been strategic. I watch Cato through the window and a wave of anger comes over me, not all of it towards him, but at myself, too, for letting him deceive me so easily. I should have known; I should have known as soon as he told me who he was; I should have known when he told me he was everything I heard he was, that he was like his father: heartless. "I could always be wrong, Katniss. It's just—"

I don't want to hear anymore, so I cut him off sharply, not holding back the anger in my voice. "I'm coming home, Boggs." is all I say, and then hang up the phone just as Cato walks in the door.

He's happy, bouncing through the door in a way that reminds me of our time with Ana, shaking his wet hair at me. His huge smile falls when he actually looks at me, knowing that things aren't as good as they were when were last together. I clench my fists and turn away from him, going into the bedroom and gathering as much of my things as fast as I can before he gets in my way.

"What are you doing?" I don't answer him and shove what's in my hands in my bag, zipping it forcefully. "Wait, Katniss, what's wrong?" he says, rounding the bed so he is standing in front of me. I don't look at him, I can't. He's manipulative. He sounds so confused, and I don't want to chance a glance in fear that he might be able to convince me it's just a misunderstanding, because I want that; I want to believe that's all this is.

I step to the side, walking past him, careful not to touch any part of him. He's on my heels as I storm out of the cabin and open the passenger door of the car, throwing the bag in harder than I should have.

"I'm leaving, and you…" I take a deep breath. Preparing myself, I turn to face him, but he's too close, and I run straight into his chest. "You can do whatever the hell you want, but you are not getting in this car with me," I say, pushing him away from me as hard as I can. It doesn't have much effect on him, but he steps back anyway, giving me the space I need to walk around the car.

"What happened? Who the hell were you on the phone with?" he demands, following me around the car.

"Who do you think you are, huh? You think you can just demand whatever you want and get it? That's not how things work with me Cato." I'm proud of myself for not losing it, because I want so badly to hit him, to scream at him and to cry. Cry, because I want all this to be wrong, because I want him. I want him even though I know it's the last thing I should want right now. Because of this, I need to get away from him before my emotions get the best of me and again I do something stupid.

"Katniss, please," he pleads, cautiously placing his hand on my shoulder and gripping me just enough so I can't get in the car. Pulling myself away from his touch, I step behind the car door to separate us.

"This," I motion between us quickly dropping my hand when I see how bad I'm shaking, "all this, you were distracting me."

His eyes widen. "You wanted a distraction," he says defensively, losing his calm again, becoming just as angry as I am.

"Yes, but you had your own reasons. You wanted me away from home so your daddy could try to swoop in and buy everything my father worked his whole life for, his legacy, his—" My voice cracks, so I stop short, not wanting to break because of this.

"Katniss, please," he begs again, but his voice is rougher this time, with more desperation in his eyes.

"Stop! I don't want your excuses or your lies." I slide into the car, reaching for the door. He grabs the door just as I do, keeping me from closing it, still trying to get me to stop and listen to him.

"You need to listen to me," I watch him for a second, anger and frustration, is what I see when I look at him. There's no sign of any heartbreaking pain like what I'm feeling right now along with my anger toward him, I don't see any.

"No, Cato, that's where you're wrong," I say, my voice calm and steady. I surprise myself. "I don't need to do anything for you." His eyes widen in shock as he lets his hand slides off the door in defeat, and I shut and lock the door quickly in case he changes his mind about giving up. Taking a step away from the car, he watches me, fists clenched at his sides, jaw set, and his nostrils flaring every time he exhales. As I look at him this one last time, our eyes meet, and I'm shocked that they don't hold the anger that his body radiates right now. They're soft and regret-filled; I have to turn away from him. Starting the car and pulling out, I don't look at him again as I drive away from the cabin.

I don't know how to get back, but all I know is I need to get as far away from Cato as soon as possible and back home. I'm exiting the park before I realize how much every part of me hurts. My eyes burn with threatening tears, my teeth ache from my clenched jaw, my arms feel like 50 pound weights. I feel like, at any moment, I will throw up everything I've eaten the past few days, and my breathing is shaky and difficult because my chest is so painfully tight. Once I'm far enough away to feel comfortable that Cato won't be able to catch up with me, I pull over to get some kind of grip on myself. I rest my forehead on the steering wheel that I'm still gripping and try to calm myself down. Slowly, I try to get control of my breathing.

None of this should have happened. If I would have just been who _he_ wanted me to be when I needed to be, none of this would have ever happened. I would have never left, never met Cato, and never had to know this pain. My chest tightens even more with the idea of never meeting Cato like I did, never spending the time that I did with him, not getting to know him, him opening up to me. I shake my head, it could have all been lies for all I know, and I don't ever want to know. I sigh, straightening myself back up in my seat. I'm already tired of this new pain. Taking a few more meditating breaths, I pull back on to the road in the direction that I hope it towards home.

I'm done, I think, I'm done being so weak. I'm better than this, stronger than this, and none of this—my father's death, my mother's abandonment, my family's deceit—will hold me back or distract me anymore. It's a promise to myself that I am sure to keep.

* * *

A long wait, I know. I apologize. My Beta is so busy, I'm always thankful that she can make time for chapters. But I get that waiting is hard so until she gets settled in I think, for your sakes, I will find a new Beta to help out too.

I'm pretty sure none of you saw this little storm coming and if you did; virtual high five! Now, don't kill me for breaking up our lovely Catoniss, these things need to be done, trust me. Besides this makes it exciting, right?

Alrighty, leave me you thoughts on this chapter because I am truly interested what you think of it.

-CM


	15. Home

Home

* * *

Ten hours. That's how long it took me to make it home. I didn't stop for anything but gas; no food, and not even a drink. I wanted to be home, in my house, in my bed. Ten hours is a long time, and the whole time, I thought of Cato. Surprisingly, my anger wore down after a while, leaving me to only deal with the hurt. This is how it works in the real world; you fall for someone, someone you know very well that you shouldn't fall for, and then bam! You're heart broken. And it's not the guy's fault. No, it's yours, because you knew; you knew that it was wrong and that it shouldn't happen, but you let it happen anyway. I won't forgive him for deceiving me like he did, but I won't blame him for faults that only I can be to blamed for. He would have never tried anything, he would have just kept to his plan of keeping me away, but I kissed him. I changed things, and he had to roll with it or give himself up.

I should have followed my instincts; I should have left him where I found him. Nice, I think, that's what I told him, I was being nice. Curious, I had said to him, and then later, I told myself it was because I was drawn to him; because I liked him, but really thinking about it now, I know that wasn't it. There were more to my motives to want him to stay with me. Reasons I just pushed aside because I thought there was no way that was really right. I let out a long breath as I pull up to the front of the house. I usually park in the back or the garage so there is no chance for anyone to see I'm home, but I don't care. I want everyone to know I'm home, without Cato.

Walking up to the front door, I feel achingly stiff from all the driving, but I ignore it and punch in the door code. Even though it's large, the door is far from heavy, so when I push it closed behind me, it slams, echoing through the large house. I had hoped to sneak in, but there is no chance of that now, because I already hear Sae rushing down the stairs that come out next to the kitchen.

As soon as she sees me, her face transforms several different times from scared, because maybe she thought I was a burglar, to a happy surprise when she sees it is me, and then it falls in worry. "Katniss, what happened to you?" she says, rushing across the room to me, holding me out at arm's length and scanning me for any injuries. It's the first time I remember that I'm still covered in mud from pranking the Ranger back in Canada.

"I'm fine, I rolled in mud," I say, pulling away from her and making my way up the stairs to my room.

"Mud?" she parrots, following close behind me. She is curious to know what happened, but one thing I love about Sae is she never pushes me to say more than I want to so she drops the subject when she sees that I won't answer. "Do you need anything? Other than a shower and clean clothes?"

I open my bedroom door and rest against it, looking at the bed. The room is just how I left it, unfinished books on the night stand, neatly stacked papers on the desk, curtains pulled shut, closet door open, a pair of discarded shoes in the middle of the floor; everything is the same. I realize that I had been expecting it to be different somehow, to have changed like I have. "My laptop," I say, stepping into my bedroom, my back to Sae, "I need to do a few things."

"Alright, I'll find it."

I'm tired, but I know to attempt sleep would be pointless, so I stay up for what is left of the night, working and catching up on everything that has happened while I was away being selfish. Because that's what it was, I was thinking of myself and only myself—something that my dad would have never done. If he were still here, he would tell me how disappointing it is to see such behavior, and then explain to me why we must not be selfish. A lecture I have heard more than once.

I did finally go to sleep, hunched over the warmth of my laptop, but for no more than two hours. Sae is the same as always, giving me my space, but giving me everything I need before I actually need it. I wonder why someone like her could go without having any kids of her own.

I was showered, dressed, and staring at my plate of food when she finally asked me about Cato. "It's not my place, I understand that, but how did you two manage to end up together?" I want to smile, because this is Sae pushing for details without being rude and making it seem like she is in the wrong for asking, but really she isn't. She has a right to know more than anyone else, because she was the one that has taken care of Prim and I; she is the one I left here to worry until I called or texted.

"I assumed chance." That _was_ the truth and what he had told me, but now…now I know better than to think it's the truth.

She nods, taking a seat across the table from me, watching my every reaction "That I can understand, but I know you, Katniss. You stayed with him, that is what I don't understand."

I had too much time to think about why. More time than I wanted, but the drive home was long and quiet, there was nothing more to do than to think, and every thought was about Cato or always came back to Cato. "It was so obvious, but I over-looked that reason then." I say in defeat, placing my fork down on the table, I can't bring myself to eat. Saying this out loud is not only telling Sae the truth, but for the first time, I'm admitting it to myself. "I told myself that it was because I needed something different, a distraction of sorts, but really, I just didn't want to be alone. I told myself that time alone is what I needed, but I didn't really want that. I left to get away from everything, and then he came along and gave me what I really needed, and he did it all by just sitting next to me in that car." I paused, "But, of course, he had his own reasons for staying, just as I had my own for letting him stay."

"His own reasons?" It occurred to me that Boggs must not have relayed his encounter with Mr. Bronn with anyone but me, which is comforting. I should tell her, because she deserves the truth, but I can't bear to keep talking about him.

"Yes, his own reasons," I say in a way that reminds me of Cato too much. And I should be angry, but I'm over being angry now, now I'm just hurting. The pain isn't as intense as when I first left him in Canada; it's dulled, but still very much there. Every time I'm reminded of him, that dull pain becomes a piercing stab, one that I try my very best to ignore, but I'm finding it's quite impossible. I shouldn't be so hurt by this, by him, but I am, because things happened so fast, and it wasn't just my curiousness that kept me wanting more of Cato, it was me and my feelings—feelings I shouldn't have had for him; shouldn't still have for him. But I do. I still long for him, his touch, his kiss, his voice, everything. I keep thinking that this is all wrong, it's just some fucked up version of a daydream; that any minute I'll get word that it was a mix up, or I'll come back to the real world where none of this really happened. Foolish hopes is what that is. Time, I think. I need time, and all this will dissolve and I will be myself again. Thinking this, though, seems like a lie.

"I've got a meeting with Boggs, I'll see you tonight?" I question hopefully, because having Sae close by again is calming.

"Of course," she confirms walking me to the door. She usually just lets me go but today she doesn't hold herself back when she pulls me into a hug. Sae, I realized, really did miss and worry about me all this time.

* * *

Short chapter that I actually meant to post yesterday. No Cato this chapter but don't you worry, this is Cato we are talking about and he won't stay out of the picture for every long.

-CM


	16. Drake Bronn

Drake Bronn

* * *

I walk out into the large garage filled with cars, and my eyes immediately land on the Camaro that I have been driving for the past few weeks with Cato. Someone must have brought it in last night or early this morning. Dad always really hated cars being parked in the front like I left it. It's nice to know that things are still done his way even though he isn't here to see that it is.

I'm standing next to the red car before I know it, my fingers skimming its smooth cold surface as I walk next to it. This car isn't just Dad's and my anymore, it's part of Cato and me now, too, and for that reason I keep walking past it, get into my usual black Audi A4, and drive to the office.

The main building is a twenty-story skyscraper that looks like it's constructed of mirrors instead of windows. My dad said that this was not to hide what was inside, but to make everyone look at themselves. "Not at their hair or make up like many do, but really look at themselves and their lives." He sighed when he told me this, finishing by saying, "Too few people look at themselves and their lives the way they should." As I stand on curb, watching people pass by, a few adjusting themselves in the mirrors of the building, I agree with him—too few people really look at themselves and their lives, and I am one of those people.

The building is just as beautiful inside as it is outside. Everyone notices me; it's like I have a flashing light strapped to me, calling everyone's attention. Shoulders straighten, eyes glue to the floor in front of them, and walks stiffen as I walk past people. It's not the same reaction my father got, they loved him, and right now I feel like they are scared of me, or scared of what I might do with his enterprise. They don't trust their lives to a silly teenager who runs off when things get bad. I don't blame them; I wouldn't either. I'm surprised when I get a few nods and welcome backs in the elevator ride up to my father's office, but I'm unsure if it's genuine or not at this point.

As soon as I step off the elevator, the secretary jumps from her seat in surprise, rounding her desk to ask if I need anything. "A coffee please, Katherine, and if you could call Boggs and let him know I'm here."

"Yes, ma'am," she says, hurrying off down the hall.

I stood outside the office door for a good five minutes before I walked in. The whole building had a bright, flowing, contemporary feel, but his office was far from that. The deep forest green of the walls gave it a clam, comforting feel. The dark leather couch that my dad found more comfortable than his chair was still very much the same as he left it, and it's where I sit now, taking in what was his and is now mine while I wait for Boggs. On the wall across from the couch hang three large pictures of his favorite place in the world; the woods behind our vacation home in Colorado. The large desk on the far side of the room looks empty without all his work scattered across it, with only the computer, telephone, and a family picture occupying it now.

I don't have to wait long for Boggs, and when he comes in, he nearly runs to me. I stand and he takes the opportunity to hug me much like Sae did when I left the house this morning. "Katniss, it's so good to see you again."

I'm not use to this from him, a pat on the back or an approving nod is all the affection I've had from him. "Boggs," I say in a tone that lets him know this is business not social.

"Right," he says, pulling away, not hiding his hurt, "first thing's first. Here is the paper work. I've already signed, all you need to do is sign, and things will go back to the way they should be." He hands me a folder that holds the transfer papers. He admires the pictures while I read over them to make sure everything is correct, not because I don't trust Boggs, but because after Cato, it's better to be safe than sorry.

The phone rings just as I've signed all the paperwork, and I direct Boggs to put it on speaker, because I can't bring myself to sit in his chair yet.

"Miss Everdeen, you have a visitor." My heart skips a beat, hoping that it's Cato who has come to see me, to defend himself and tell me I was wrong. "The Mr. Drake Bronn." My hope turns to dread instantly, of course he would come today. Cato probably told him I left him in Canada.

"I am unlike Boggs, Katherine, I do not do walk-ins. This isn't some hair solon. Tell him he will have to have an appointment to meet with me."

"But he is quite insistent on meeting with you now Miss-"

"Katherine," I warn. She would never question my father, and she shouldn't question me.

"Yes, ma'am, of course. I will let him know."

"Thank you." I nod to Boggs, and he ends the call. I relax into the couch, feeling like I've won a small battle with Cato's father.

"Impressive, Katniss," Boggs says, still standing next to the desk.

"Yes, well, he needs to know I do not intend to play by his rules."

There's a quick knock on the door and it opens. In marches Gale, only nodding to his dad and coming to meet me at the couch. I stand just as he gets to me and he picks me up, engulfing me in a hug that lasts too long. This is too intimate for my comfort. I don't want this, not from Gale. "You should have called me, Katniss," he whispers into my hair.

"I'm sorry, I just needed time." He stiffens and sets me down. I glance around the room to see that Boggs has left us alone, shutting the door behind him when he went.

"Time with Cato?" he says harshly. "How is that you, of all people, _you_, did not catch on to what he was up to." I guess I had been wrong about Boggs keeping things to himself, but I should have guessed he would have shared the information with Gale, just as my father did with me. He's right to not understand what has gotten into me; I keep to myself for the most part. I have few friends because I trust very few people. "Honestly, Katniss, what did you expect from him? It's known how his father works, why would he be any different?" The first urge I have is to defend Cato, because the Cato I got to know was not like his father. But, the Cato that I left standing outside a cabin in Canada, the Cato he had actually been all along, I did not know and could not defend, would not defend. Though as hard as I tried, I couldn't help but want him; want Gale and Boggs to be wrong about me being wrong. I sigh, "I don't want to talk about Cato, Gale." That's the only thing I can think to say, because as much as I should have something bad to say about Cato, I can't bring myself to do it.

Gale watches me for a few seconds, trying to figure something out, and then asks, "Did you actually like him like everyone is saying?"

"What?" I say, because all I really caught was the word "did". Did. No, not "did", I think, not "did". My stomach turns painfully, knowing it_ should _be "did". It should be, but isn't, though it will be. Time will fix this; time fixes all things, right?

"You heard me. It's true, isn't it?" It's a question, but he acts as if he already knows the answer, and out of everyone one, he would know the truth. He knows me better than most people, other than Sae.

"Why does it matter to you?" I bite out at him, because I really don't want to be talking about Cato with anyone, especially not Gale.

"Because you matter to me," he says, taking a step closer to me and raising his hand to touch my face, but just as he does, the door flies open again and we both turn to see a very satisfied-looking Drake Bronn standing in the doorway. Gale drops his hand immediately and turns to fully face him, his whole body going tense. I spoke to soon; the battle has yet to be won. I turn as well, watching Mr. Bronn every second. His composure is relaxed, his arms crossed over his chest, and he's sporting a crooked smile. His blonde hair clean cut and styled perfectly clean-shaven. He's an aged version of Cato, except instead of Cato's blue eyes, Mr. Bronn has deep, dark brown eyes that, from this distance, look like a bottomless black holes that glisten with malicious excitement. "Well, well, Miss Everdeen, you don't waste your time do you?"

"What is that suppose to mean?" I'm not surprised by Gale getting upset, he has never been hard to trigger.

"Just that only yesterday, she was shacking up with my son, and now she's home and back to her usual…" he acts like he's searching for the right word, "approved boy toy." He steps into the office, closing the door behind him. Gale takes a step towards him as well, but I quickly grab his arm, shaking my head at him. This is not his battle, it's mine.

"You don't know anything about Cato and me." It's the first thing I think to say, even though I know I could be wrong.

"But I do. You think I don't know about what you two have been up to? Have you forgotten why you left him in the first place?" He steps closer to us. "Have you forgotten who paid for your little trip?" I didn't even think to consider that, that he had been funding Cato; that he sent the photographers to follow us. It explains why they would have known where we were.

"Get out!" I nearly growl at him, pointing angrily towards the door.

It doesn't faze him though. He just tilts his head to the side with a mocking pout, looking at me as if I were a wounded puppy. "The truth hurts doesn't it, Miss Everdeen."

"I said, get out of my building."

"Ah, yes, _your_ building, _your_ company, _your_ enterprise." He straightens himself back up, losing his mocking tone and becoming serious again. "You are an eighteen-year-old little girl. Selfish, reckless, unprepared. Do you honestly think you can carry on as your _beloved_ father did?"

"I do not have to answer to you. Now leave before I call security." I nod to Gale, who has been remarkable quite this whole time, and he goes to the desk and picks up the phone, ready to dial the extension.

"Alright, you win, for now," He says, turning and walking back towards the door, but just as he opens it, he looks over his shoulder with the same crooked smile he walked in with. "I am willing pay over what would be considered worth for all of it. Right now. Today. And I will promise to keep it all intact the way he would have wanted. But, if you refuse, I will come back when you have ruined this place, and offer you what a spoiled brat like you deserves. Then, when everything is mine, as it should be, I will break it all down and sell off the pieces to the highest bidder." He doesn't give me time to say anything, quickly walking out and closing the door behind him. The idea of what he has just said makes me sick. He is wrong, I can do this, my dad believed in me and if he thought I could handle this then I can. I just need to pull myself together so I can do it properly.

"Who the hell does he think he is?" Gale says, coming up behind me, placing his hands on my shoulders. I don't need to be comforted, I need to be alone, so I step out of his reach and I hear him sigh from behind me.

"I'm going home for the day. If you could, have your dad email me so we can arrange a meeting for first thing tomorrow." I'm running away again, I realize that, but not like before. This is to get my head together, because the last thing I will ever let happen is allow Drake Bronn to win.

* * *

I've had this written for a few days I just didn't get it to Ashley in a quick manner, I'm horrible, sorry for the wait. :(

Now, don't you worry my sweet fellow Catoniss shippers, Gale is just being Gale. I personally never liked him with Katniss so I can promise you nothing romantic will happen between the two in my story.

What do you think of our Mr. Drake Bronn. Evil right? I love it, I mean who doesn't love a villain? Leave me all your lovely thoughts!

I wanted to say again that I love you all, I'm seriously so excited that so many of you read, follow and review this story. It means a lot to me.

I want to real quick introduce a new member of our small Running team; liljenmartin! She will be a second Beta for this story when Ashley can't! So everyone say hi and thank you to her!

Alright I'm done talking now, I have some work to do and Doctor Who episodes to watch. Laters.

-CM


	17. Answers

Answers

* * *

Despite telling Gale I was going home, I drive aimlessly around the city for the rest of the morning thinking about Mr. Bronn's threats, and Gale. Truthfully, I'm not sure at this point which of the two I'm more upset with. For Gale to try and confess to me whatever feelings he may think he has for me now, of all times, is insensitive and selfish. I think for a minute that it's true what they say; _you always want what you can't have_. Immediately, I think of Cato. I want what I can't have. With this in mind, I decide that now is as good a time as ever to be reckless and I make a sharp u-turn heading back towards the heart of the city. There is only one person I want to see right now and the only place I even know where to begin to look for him is at Bronn Enterprises.

The building is very different from mine, one could argue it is the latest in architectural greatness with three buildings of varying sizes connecting at several different points. Standing in front of this sleek complex, I would never guess that its main building is smaller than the one that homes my office, I would never guess it, standing in front of it right now. The black of its exterior reminds me of Mr. Bronn's eyes from a distance. The building is meant to intimidate those who enter, and I'm sure it works with most people, but not me. This is the only place I know where to find Cato, but I can't help but feel he might not even be here. And another run-in with Mr. Bronn today isn't something I would like to deal with, but I'm prepared to do so if it means I will have a moment with Cato. While it probably wasn't smart just showing up here like this to see Cato again while I'm still mad about his father's little outburst in my office, I need to see him. I've calmed down since I last saw him, and I need to hear what he has to say.

I'm crossing the street when I notice the door being held open by a security officer and Ana walking out with her usual bright smile. She is the last person I expected to run into here so I watch her from my spot for a few seconds. She just said something to the security officer, but I couldn't make it out what I did catch though was his answer, "Thank you very much Miss Luci." Luci? But that can't be right, Cato introduced her as Ana, and Ana is definitely not short for Luci. Something else he lied about I'm guessing. It doesn't seem right or fitting, Ana, this young bubbly girl that I met in the middle of the night, lying to me about her name. I'm still missing something.

I need answers and I'm sure Ana might be the person to give me a few. I'm a few feet away before I try to get her attention. "Ana?"

As soon as she sees me her smile falls momentarily before she quickly recovers with a much larger forced smile. She isn't so happy to see me; I'm the last person she expected to run into here, too, it seems. "Katniss!" she squeals, running up and hugging me.

"What are you doing here?" I ask when she lets go. I don't want to play pretend right now with her, I came here for answers, and even though I wanted them from Cato, I might as well hear what she has to say, too.

Her smile falls again and this time she doesn't try hiding her uncertainty. Finally after thinking about her answer for a few seconds, she answers sadly, "I was with Cato."

Of course, I should have guessed that. "Oh? How is he?" The words come out cheery, I don't want her to know how affected I am by everything that's happened. Mentally I'm preparing myself for whatever her answer may be. I do want to know how he is, if he's hurt like I am, or if he went on with his life like nothing ever happened.

"Honestly? He's horrible. I've never seen him so...so angry." She stops, waiting for me to say something, but I can't bring myself to say anything, I already knew he was angry. What I want to know is if he is angry because I found out what his father was up to, or because he doesn't have me anymore. In that moment, I realize that I want him to be angry for losing me. While I wait for Ana to continue, I silently think to myself; what does it matter? Does this little self-revelation suddenly make it all ok? Does it make me feel comfortable forgiving him because he would still want to be with me? "You broke up with him," she states after a minute, dragging me out of my thoughts.

I shake my head, "We were never together really." I don't really know what you would call what we had. Brief, it was brief, whatever it was. And right, it was more right the anything I had felt, but that must have been my feelings getting the best of me, because it was anything but right. I know that painful truth now.

Ana just shrugs and says, "To you, maybe."

She's serious, though her posture says otherwise; it's a different look on her. I wonder if Cato has told her anything or if she is just going by the one night when we were at her house. "I don't expect you to understand, Ana."

"Maybe I don't understand _you_, and that's because I don't really know you yet. But I _do_ understand Cato, and he had real feelings for you. I saw that myself the day the two of you were at the cottage. Whatever happened, whatever you two had going on, it wasn't as simple as you're making it sound. Not to him. It was something more to Cato." I'm stunned by her openness and how she honestly believes in what she has just said. I can't help but believe her myself. A spark of hope ignites inside me, a small spark, because regardless, this doesn't fix everything.

"He lied to me," I plainly put, hoping she will understand why I can't simply go by what she is telling me. Cato has to be the one to fix things, if they can even be fixed. He has to be the one to tell me what she's telling me.

"Cato doesn't lie," she says proudly.

"You're so sure."

"Well, I've known Cato my whole life. Of course I'm sure." Her mouth twitches into a half smile, she's hinting at something. I watch her for a second, wondering again what kind of relationship she and Cato have.

"That man called you Luci," I point out, looking past her at the security officer that has stood by the door, watching us this whole time.

"Yeah, my name is Luciana. My friends and family all call me Luci. Only Cato calls me Ana, well, and you now." It feels like déjà vu from when Cato told me his name, only it doesn't hit me as fast or as hard. I'm not surprised at all by this, I should have guessed as much.

"Luciana, that's a beautiful name." Her dark eyes that are just like her father's light up,

"Thanks," she says, flashing a quick, but real smile before she adds, "You know who I am now, don't you?" She can't hide her hopefulness in the question.

I nod, "You're his sister."

She smiles again, and then leans over so she can whisper in my ear, "Half sister, but no one knows that." She pulls back, exhaling quite loudly and rocking back on her heels like this was a confession she had wanted off her chest for awhile. I should have guessed that sooner. She was with her mother when I first met her, a mother who wouldn't come out of her room. Drake must have her paid off and sworn her to secrecy. The cabin wasn't their home, it's where the two of them are allowed to meet. It explains why it was so bare, why it was so small and hidden. I wonder if Cato knew they would be there, or if he had hoped the cottage would have been empty that night. This sort of betrayal and cover up could do bad things for Mr. Bronn if the right people got a hold of this information. I could be one of those people. I have the motives now more than ever, but that would mean betraying Ana, and I don't think that's something I could ever bring myself to do.

"Your secret is safe with me," I assure her.

"I know, I trust you, Katniss," she says, sounding as proud as she did when she told me that Cato does not lie.

"Why?" She still hardly knows me, and for all she could know, I could be the bad guy here.

"Because Cato does," she says with another shrug. Looking back at the building and back at me she adds, "He isn't here, if that's why you came. He just left."

"Thank you," I say with a smile. She hugs me again with a promise we will talk again soon, then gets in the waiting car and drives off, leaving me to my own thoughts. I want to see Cato more than ever now, but I have no idea where to find him, so I just make my way back home with the promise that I will come back here tomorrow.

Sae is walking out of the kitchen just as I come in. "How was work, Dear?" The ever-motherly Sae, I think, asking about work pointedly, because I'm sure she already knows I wasn't there most of the day. I just grunt in response throwing myself into the nearest chair. "It couldn't have possibly been that bad."

"Drake Bronn paid me a visit." I want to tell her about Ana, too, but as much as I trust Sae, I can't do that.

"Ah."

"Yes, and he is just as unpleasant as Daddy and Cato made him sound."

Her eyebrows shoot up, "Cato spoke that way of his father?" She sounds surprised, like she thinks that no one, even someone with a father like Drake Bronn, would speak about their father in such a way.

"Said he was just like him."

She shakes her head, not believing what I've just told her. "I find that hard to believe."

"Whys that? Have you ever met him?" I sit up in my chair, wanting to really listen to what she has to say about Cato.

"No, but I saw the pictures of you two, and despite the load of crap they spilled about you, those pictures were real moments. They weren't planned and posed like you're thinking." The pictures. Of course, the pictures. Everyone has their own opinions of the pictures. Sae is right, they weren't posed, I know that, but they were taken out of context.

"Wait, what did the site say about me?"

"You didn't read it?"

"No, I…" was interrupted by Cato in a fit of rage, I think, but that sounds bad, and I know she would want me to explain, so instead I say, "I didn't get a chance to read the whole article."

"Well its best you didn't." Now I'm sure of it, I missed something. I'm up out of my chair and halfway to my room with Sae following close behind, "Katniss, I told you that night you called and I'll tell you again now, those of us who know you know the truth, and what those idiots said is far from it." I realize for the first time that she wasn't meaning the pictures and the rumors of a relationship between me and Cato when she said that. I go straight to my desk, starting up my laptop, ignoring her pleads to just forget about it.

She stands in my doorway, looking concerned, but stopping her attempts to talk me out of it anymore. "I'm going to make some dinner for you, alright? So if you need me, I'll be in the kitchen." I give her a quick nod before she adds, "Call Prim tonight, she's going to be heading home early in the morning. Her flight will be in the early afternoon. Boggs and I will be picking her up." That's right, Prim's coming home from her summer trip to Colorado. It hits me then, how much I have missed Prim, and how quiet the house is without her around. Then I realize what she just said, "Boggs?" I question unable to hide my surprise and curiosity.

"Yes, Boggs," she says, walking off down the hall so I can't see her face. She's playing with me, leaving stuff out purposely like I did to her this morning. I shake my head at the idea of what she just said could imply, surely not. But then again who am I to judge, she might have thought the same thing when she first heard I was with Cato.

It doesn't take me long to find the site, and now there are even more pictures and more articles, but I ignore them all and go straight to the first one of us posted, skimming down and picking up where I left off.

_Does Cato know something about Katniss that we have all just missed? And what is Katniss doing to him to bring this side of Cato out for the world? Could this be forbidden love? _

_With relationship talk out of the way, we should bring up the real issue here: the fate of one of the world's most powerful companies, Everest Enterprises. With Katniss acting like a wild teenager now that daddy is out of the picture, I'm sad to say I don't think it's long before she runs it into the ground. Her actions show us all that the last thing on her mind is picking up where her father left off. Are we getting a glimpse of the real Katniss? With daddy not here to keep her in line, she is nothing more than a spoiled teenager, who, at the first sign of hardship, runs off with the closest boy to her. A boy, I should say, that, though we might love, her father would never approve of. Let's hope Katniss does just one more smart thing before it's too late, and hands the reins to her father's legacy over to someone who knows what they're doing before she ruins the lives of the people who depend on her many companies for jobs. _

There's more too much more for me to bear. I have to push myself away from the computer to stop myself from reading it anymore. Another missing piece fits perfectly into its spot as I grab my phone and rush down stairs towards the door.

"Now it's too late for any of that, Katniss," Sae says from behind me just as I open the door to the garage. I've never snuck out of the house before, never had the urge to try before, but I assume this is what it must feel like to be caught as I stand frozen in the doorway.

"It's not too late, I have to find him." I look out and spot my car that has, of course, been brought in the massive garage; it isn't too far away from me.

"And just how do you plan on doing that tonight?" I feel defeated, because I don't have a plan, I just need him.

"I don't know," I say, turning to face her, my voice slightly shaking. "Someone I know is bound to know where I can find him." And if not, I can pay someone to find him, I have the ability. I am my father's daughter; I can do anything, just as he could.

Sae walks over to me, pulling me into a half hug and out of the doorway. "Dinners ready," She says pointing towards the kitchen. "One more night won't changes things, Katniss, come on." I want to scream at her, to pull away and run out the door to my car, but I know she's right. One more night, I think, one more painfully long, sleepless night won't change anything.

* * *

First things first I want to make sure everyone is pronouncing Luciana's name the same so pronunciation is: loo-see-AHN-ah

This chapter was originally two chapters, but I'm sensing you all miss Cato _very_ much so I cut some stuff out made them smaller and combined the two. Yes that means Cato will make a reappearance next chapter. You're welcome.

So I have finally told you who Ana is AND what Cato was really mad about all those chapters ago in the hotel. Exciting stuff right?! Did any of you guess it already? Or did my answers to two of your biggest questions surprise you? I'm interested to know.

Alright I've got work so leave me your thoughts so I have something to read when I get off! Have a lovely day everyone!

-CM


	18. Accidents Happen

Accidents Happen

* * *

With each hour that morning crept closer, my stomach twisted tighter in a sick nervous pain. How can I expect him to forgive me or even listen long enough for me to apologize? I don't deserve it, not after what I believed and accused him of doing. I should have let him talk, let him tell me his side of the story and now I may never know. Despite not knowing for sure, in my heart I realize that he didn't play the part I had assumed he played. I told myself repeatedly while I was with him that he was nothing like what he made himself seem but ultimately, I accused him of that very thing in the end. I am the one that is heartless, not Cato.

I'm still hopeful, thanks to Ana and our brief conversation in front of the Bronn Complex. It was then that she told me that Cato was angry and even though I'm not completely certain if he is angry with me, she did say that he had real feelings. I can only hope that his feelings for me, whatever they are, are strong enough to make him consider giving me another chance even if it is only to apologize.

I don't know how I managed it, but I fell asleep sitting at my desk hunched over my computer, the same way I ended up asleep the night before. I wonder if this is how it's going to be for me from now on if I can never have Cato again. A life filled with hardly any sleep, no urge to eat, and pain. When I told myself time would help me move past Cato I was lying and now I don't even bother to try and lie to myself. I realize I never wanted to move on, I always wanted things to be fixed. Before I knew the truth, if he would have asked me for forgiveness and a second chance I would have given it to him however wrong it may have been, it's why I had to get away from him so fast in Canada. I knew it then and I know it now, I will always want Cato.

The whole morning I'm trailed around the house and even all the way to my car by Sae, saying one thing after the other, trying to convince me to stay home, to sleep, to eat, and however annoying it may be in the moment I am grateful she's worried about me. I feel a sudden twinge of guilt when I realize it's all she seemed to do since I've come home, all she did while I was gone and maybe even some before I left. Opening the door to the bright red Camaro that feels wrong and empty without Cato in the seat across from me I give her the best convincing smile I can manage, "Sae, I am fine. Things will be better today." She watches me for a second knowing very well I don't mean a thing that I've said before she nods and releases the door so I can leave.

I want nothing more than to go straight to Cato but I said there would be a meeting this morning and I need to start to prove myself to the people who work for me and everyone else that might have bought into the spill that was posted about me.

I'm not surprised to see Katherine waiting for me as I get off the elevator my coffee in hand. "Thank you."

"Of course, everyone's just got here." She says quickening her pace trying to keep up with me as I head for the conference room. I stop outside the doors take a quick sip of my coffee before handing it back to Katherine and walk in the way my dad would have, shoulders back and head high. "You have to demand attention without saying a word, Katniss." He once had told me.

Every single seat is taken around the large table that occupies this conference room, just as I knew it would be. As soon as Boggs sees me he stands offering me his seat but I hold my hand up for him to stop silently telling him to keep it. "This won't take much of your time."I say walking to stand next to Boggs who has noted my seriousness and determination giving me a look that I can only describe as admiration. "I know that the last four months have not gone as they should have and for that I apologize." I pause for a moment to make sure I have everyone's attention before I continue. As I had hoped all eyes were on me, waiting for what I have to say. "Starting today things will go back to the way they should with the only difference being me. I understand that for some of you it may be hardtop take direction from someone as young as I am but if you respected my father then I'm asking you to respect his decision and trust in me. Though my actions this last month have given you reason to doubt me I can assure you that I will earn your trust and your respect just as my father did."

I feel as though I have just said all this in one large breath. It needed to be said and now that it's done my mind is right back where it was before I walked in; Cato. No one speaks and I watch as one by one everyone around the table begins to give me a short nod of approval. I waste no more time and dismiss everyone who then all make it a point to come by and say something unnecessarily nice or shake my hand. Maybe, I think, admitting that leaving the way I did and apologizing has earned me a small amount of respect from them. Boggs stays behind, like he always did with my father.

"I'm proud of you Katniss," He walks to meet me at the door patting my shoulder when he's next to me, "You're everything he knew you would be." He says squeezing my shoulder gently.

It's hard to fight the burning in my eyes when he says this to me so I nod as I blink away the tears before they fall, "I have to leave you in charge the rest of the morning for one more day." I manage following him out into the hall.

He nods not hesitating to agree, "That's not a problem." We greet Katherine as she meets us halfway to the elevators and I quickly let her know the arrangements for the day. I can only hope that Cato is at Bronn Enterprises because I don't even know where to begin to look for him if he's not. Either way, I won't let it stop me from seeing him, I'll find away to track him down somehow.

I don't bother parking in the parking garage today and take one of the few open parallel spots open in front of the massive structure.

"Please be here." I whisper out loud to myself as I round my car with the same determination I had walking into my meeting this morning. Just as I step onto the curb my phone rings causing me to jump just the slightest bit. I didn't even realize I had brought it. For a second I think about just ignoring the call and turning the phone off all together but as soon as I see Sae's name on the screen I answer it thinking the call won't take long if she only wants to check in on me. "Hello."

Time slows when I hear her shaking intake of a breath, "Katniss." she barely chokes out my name before I hear her muffled crying thought the phone.

I clutch the phone tighter to my ear, "Sae, what's happened?" I can't help the rise of panic I'm feeling as I look up at the building in front of me one last time before turning back to my car.

It takes a moment of her trying to control her voice long enough to speak, "Katniss, it's Prim." it's all she could say before her sobbing begins again. She must have handed the phone to someone else or they took it one so they could tell me where I needed to go. I'm driving at an unsafe speed before I even hear them tell me the name of the hospital where she is.

I try my hardest to not think about what could have happened to her, she wasn't supposed to be here yet, there has to be a mistake. It's all I can tell myself to try and keep myself calm enough to think at all the entire length of the drive to the hospital.

As soon as I walk through the doors I'm bombarded by the people I hate the most all saying things I can't understand because they're all talking at once. I catch bits and pieces of angered comments about how no one will tell them anything. After minutes that seem like hours I reach the correct floor and the nearly vacant nurses' station were only one nurse stands almost like she is expecting me.

I hold on to the edge of the counter in why looks like fury but in actuality I'm only doing it keep myself standing, "Where is she?" I've come off harsh in hopes that I can hide my fear of any news that awaits me.

The nurse doesn't seemed fazed and more calmly then anyone in the room begins to speak, "Ma'am she's in the operating room as we speak, I'm sorry that I can't provide you anything more than that at the moment. "There's nothing for me to do or say so I just stand there frozen by her words. The group of extended family that escorted me up begins to shout at the nurse who just ignores them. She looks at me apologizing again then says something else about a waiting room and points me to the door only feet from us.

Taking a deep breath I push myself off the counter and walk into the waiting room. "What happened?" Gale jumps from his seat by his dad hurrying over to me with his arms out stretched. I want to believe that he truly only wants to comfort me right now but I can see it in his eyes he still wants something from me, something I can't give him and yet he still tries at inappropriate times.

"Katniss-"

"No." I push his arms away from me and walk past him to wear Sae sits her face stained red with tears that still haven't stopped as she grips on to Boggs hand like it's the only thing keeping her together."Tell me what happened." I'm trying to keep calm but there is no hiding the panic in my shaking voice. All I can think about is that I didn't call her, why did I forget to call her?

Her lip quivers as she tries to begin to tell me but Boggs starts before she does relieving her of having to repeat anything again."She got an earlier flight and didn't tell anyone. She took a cab and on the way to your house a car ran a red light..." he trails off and I'm not sure if it's because he doesn't know anymore or if he can't bring himself to continue.

My chest tightens making my breathing painful and hard. The room is crowded with people who shouldn't even be here. I want to tell them all to go but if I were to speak now I would surly break. Gale is at my side again with a look I've seen before on him only once before, one I don't want to see now. I begin to pace the small room, door to wall, wall to wall, door to wall, wall to wall, over and over only stopping when the door opens. My pacing helps clear the room only leaving a handful of people aside from Sae Boggs and Gale.

I'm walking towards the far wall, my back to the door when it opens and my heart clenches as I silently hope it's a nurse or a doctor with some kind of news of how my little sister is doing.

I'm frozen in my spot but only for a fraction of a second as I look straight into Cato's ice blue eyes. I'm walking to him before I decide to and his arms stretch out to me right as I reach him engulfing me in a tight embrace that somehow relieves the pressure that had been building up in my chest. My fist ball up the crisp fabric of his shirt as I try to pull myself even closer to him. Gasps and whispers start immediately but it doesn't seem to bother Cato as I listen to his steady heart beat while I'm pressed into his chest.

"I think we should go get a bite to eat." I hear Sae say pointedly in a horse voice. It's the most I've heard her say since I've been here but I'm thankful. I hear a few sets of footsteps follow her lead but not enough for it to have been everyone in the room.

Cato's arms tighten around me and I bury my face further into his chest as a result. "Get Out!" The rumbling of his chest sends vibrations through me as he yells at whoever has dared to remain in the room with us. It isn't long after that that the room is empty and it's just the two of us. He squeezes me into him again then loosens his grip but doesn't let me go and we just stand there. I don't know how he knew what was going on or why he would even want to see me right now but he is what I needed, the only person that in this moment could make me feel like maybe things would be alright.

"I'm sorry." I say after several minutes of silence into his chest.

One of his arms leaves my back so he can stroke my hair before returning to its place. Kissing me so softly I can barely feel it he then rest his chin on the top of my head, "Not now Katniss, we can talk another time." I nod once and then add, "I just wanted you to know."

He pulls me away from him so he can look at me. His hands grip my shoulders and his eyes look at me like he is looking at something that no one else but him can see. "It's going to be alright." I nod again because again I don't trust my own voice. I want to believe him and he makes it easy to imagine that they will be because he's here and if he can be here after what I accused him of then anything can happen. Prim will be alright, I tell myself, everything will be alright.

He pulls me back into him and we both tangle our arms around each again. Maybe, I think, just maybe he thinks the way I do. I knew that despite all that had happened that I still wanted him and in the end would have forgiven him. I dare to hope that maybe he feels the same way. Even though I know so much still needs to be said and explained, I know that there is no place I could feel more safe or comfortable then in his arms.

Unfortunately, his embrace doesn't last as long as the first because we are interrupted by the door opening. Clearing his throat as Cato and I break apart, I don't think I've ever seen Gale look so red before."Katniss?" he starts taking a step towards us. "I don't understand, after what he's done to you, you still want him?"

I start to open my mouth to defend Cato but he takes his own step forward speaking before I can. "What I've done to her?"

I've heard this tone before so reach up grabbing his arm to stop him, "Cato." He freezes looking back at me and then at my hand on him. Pressing his lips together he relaxes the best he can manage and turns his attention back to Gale.

"Yes, you. I'm not scared of you like everyone else. Leave." He points to the door not once taking his eyes off Cato "You shouldn't be here." Then looking at me and then at my hand that is still holding on to Cato's arm he adds, "And leave her alone."

"Gale!" I shout shocked that he would say such a thing and act this way now of all times.

Cato looks back at me then pulls his arm away from mine taking another step towards Gale, "You aren't scared because I haven't given you a reason to be scared, but I can change that." Gale huffs and attempts to take his own intimidating step towards Cato but Cato moves too quickly for him, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt with both hands and slamming him up against the door. "Tell me Gale," His voice low and threatening with his face only inches from Gales "do I need to give you a reason?"

Gale doesn't respond to Cato's threat and cranes his neck so he can see me, "Katniss, don't you see? This is who he is this is what he does. Do you really want him?"

I don't have to think and I don't hesitate as I answer, "Yes."

Gale's eyes widen in shock and disbelief at my response. Cato frees him from his grasp at the sound of my answer completely ignoring Gales attempt at a shove and his death glares as he comes to stand in front of me. "Why?"

I see the same doubt in himself that I have seen several times, "I should be asking you why, why after the way I left you, what I believed you did," I shake my head still thinking I don't deserve anything from him. "_Why_ are _you_ here?"

He has the tiniest of smiles as he brushes the hair out if her face and I hold my breath for whatever it is he is about to say, both of us forgetting that Gale is still in the room with us. Just as he opens his mouth the door opens and again we both turn to see who it is. This time a doctor followed by Sae, Boggs and the vultures that are my New York area extended family enter the room. Cato wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me into him side as the doctor greets me.

"Katniss?" I nod confirming to him that I'm the only immediate family that Prim has here.

The doctor stretches his hand out for me to shake, "I'm Dr. Shields," releasing my hand he motions to the chairs that line one of the alls in the room, "let's take a seat."

* * *

I think this may be the first real cliffy I have left you all with, hopefully you aren't too upset by it.

Cato is back and I know you only got to see them together for a short time this chapter, trust me when I say more is to come. They have been aart for a few chapters after all.

I'm sorry to the Prim fans but this kinda needed to be done. I will try my hardest to get the next chapter done and up in a timely manner for you guys.

Alright leave me your thoughs and or rants. :)

-CM


	19. Accidents Happen?

Accident Happen?

* * *

I stare at the chairs that are only just a few feet away from where we stand, unable to move. For those few brief seconds the only thing I'm aware of is Cato; the weight of his arm around me and the way his fingers are gripping on to my shoulder pulling me tighter into his side. The room starts to spin and I have to squeeze my eyes shut for a split second to bring myself back. "I can stand." I assure the doctor. Whatever news he has for me regarding Prim won't change whether I am sitting or standing. And I know if he were to deliver the one thing I don't think I could bare right now, Cato would be the only persons touch I could stand, the only person that would keep me from crumbling in front of this doctor and all these people who are waiting for the same news that I am. "How is she? Can I see her?" my voice, so broken so scared, doesn't even sound like my own. Prim is all I have left, without her there is nothing and no one who needs me as much as I need them. I suck in a breath waiting for his answer trying my hardest to not think the worst.

Dr. Shields straightens himself up looks at Cato, who nods for him to answer me, and then back at me. His face is heavy and tired and I can't read him well enough to know if he is about to tell me if my sister is dead or alive which causes me to feel even more uneasy. "Primrose suffered a large amount of internal bleeding caused by a severely ruptured spleen. We were unable to stop the bleeding and had no choice but to perform an emergency splenectomy." Even though I'm positive he has just spoken in laymen's terms for me I'mstill not sure if he has just given me good or bad news. He notices quickly that I'm not understanding and reaches out to rest his hand on my shoulder, "That was the worst of it, Katniss." He says with a gentle reassuring squeeze. "She is banged up pretty bad, cuts and bruises, and a minor concussion but nothing that time and lots of rest won't heal." All at once it seems my ability to breathe returns to me when I painfully exhale at his words. Seeing I understand that Prim is alright he smiles dropping his hand from my shoulder, "You can see her now but she will be out for at least another hour."

All I am able to do is whisper a breathy thank you as he waves for a nurse to lead me to her room.

Everyone is watching me, waiting, expecting permission to follow me, but Sae is the only one who already knows that won't be the case giving me her usual nod of approval. I feel Cato's grip on me loosen and immediately know he's trying to leave me, I turn to look at him, reaching up to hold on to his shirt, "Don't" my half whispered plea is enough for him to understand I need him right now. His grip on me once again tightens when we turn and walk out of the room. It's easy to ignore the disapproving glares and murmurs as Cato walks with me past everyone and down the hall to where Prims room is.

The nurse who shows us in checks the monitors and the IV Prim is connected to before leaving us alone with her. Cato only lets me go when we're standing next to her bed and it's only then that I realize how much I had been leaning on him for support.

I can't help the small gasp that escapes me as I look down and see my baby sister looking so broken. The doctor's words did little to prepare me for what I was see. Prim's face is covered in cuts varying in size & shape one right below her hair line and above her left eyehas four tiny stitches, there is another one just below it that only has two stitches. Her lip is busted in two different places and it seems every inch of her that I can see has bruising, some spots worse than others. It's clear that the car hit on the left side because that's where most of the worst damage is to her face and arm.

I trace her fingers with mine, something she always found soothing, then bend down and kiss the top of her head.

_She's alive_. _She's going to be alright. She's alive_. I keep telling myself this but it doesn't help the pain of my tightening chest. I turn and slide down to the floor resting my back against her bed and when Cato sits beside me I lay my head on his arm. I'm grateful he doesn't feel the need to say anything like most people would in a moment like this, he just reaches over and intertwines his fingers with mine and we just sit there like that.

"I thought I had lost and then I would have had nobody." It's all I can think to say after several minutes of silence.

Cato thinks about what I've just said for a second then says, "No, that isn't true." letting out a heavy sigh he leans over and quietly finishes with his lips against my hair. "You don't even realize how far from the truth that is." I don't have to guess that he isn't talking about Sae Boggs or even Gale, he is referring to himself right now.

I scoot myself closer to him and again we're quiet. We stay like this for awhile until I remember that he somehow knew what had happened with Prim and knew right where to find me. "How did you know?"

With my head now against his chest I feel him take in a deep breath and then shift just the tiniest bit, "Let's talk about that later, Katniss."

He didn't even attempt to hide the tight weariness of his voice so I turn myself and lift my head so I can see his face, "What's wrong?"

He watches me for a second, contemplating if he wants to tell me whatever it is or try again to push that we should wait to talk. "You're going to be mad and right now that's the last thing I want." His eyes stay locked on mine and I can see just how worried he really is, whatever it is, I think I probably should wait**, ** but I want him to know it doesn't matter, that he doesn't need to worry like this. "I've spent enough time trying to be mad at you, trying to hate you, trying to get over you." I pause unable to help the smile that has crept across my face and I notice that it makes his eyes soften and brighten just the smallest bit. "I've come to the conclusion that it's nearly impossible meto anyof those things." I watch as his body visibly relaxes and he tries to conceal a smile of his own.

"I stayed away from you longer then I thought I could and the only reason I was able to do that was knowing you were ok." he's speaks slowly watching me cautiously while he waits for what he just said sinks in.

"Are you admitting to stalking me Cato?"

"Me, no, having other people do it for me and relay the information to me, yes." he shrugs as if to say it was the only viableoption for him at the time, "inappropriate I know, but until I saw you again I needed to know how you were doing after what had happened." Suddenly I feel like air. Everything but one word he just said blurs and I instantly remember Ana telling me she didn't know me yet. _Yet._ She must have known we would end up back together, maybe it was something Cato had said to her or maybe she knew he was keeping an eye on me from afar.

"Again?"

His eyebrows come together as he tilts his head ever so slightly when I say this "You honestly thought I would stay away from you? Despite what you believe about me now, there is no way in hell I was letting you walk out of my life forever. Not when I finally had you." That feeling of floating has now engulfed me when he says this. All along I hoped that maybe there was some chance that he was feeling like I had been and now I know he did. He wanted me as much as I wanted him. I wonder for a moment how I could have ever doubted him.

"I was right about you." He was always so sure that he was like Drake but I don't see any of him in Cato, I never have, I always believed he was better, I've always known he was better.

He loosens his grip on my hand but I quickly tighten mine so he can't pull away from me."Still so sure are you?" More sure than anything else, but I can still see how much he doesn't believe that and it leads me to wonder if there is something he isn't telling me or maybe hasn't had the time to tell me.I need him to know that it wouldn't matter that it wouldn't change anything he needs to know just how sure I am.

"I know about the article." Before I had let myself really see my feelings for him he already knew what he felt for me,

"And that clears me of everything in your eyes?" He questions skeptically.

"Yes."Because I know he wouldn't have done anything that would hurt me in any way. I knew that when I read the whole article and then remembered how much a few ugly opinions towards me angered him.

He just shakes his head not believing how sure I am of him right now. "Why?" I ask because right now, just like he can't believe how much I trust him, I can't believe he's here. He should at least be mad at me for the way I left him but instead he was keeping an eye on me and he's here now with me when I need him most.

"Why?"

"Why keep an eye on me from afar, come to the hospital, why do you still want to be near me at all?"

"You're so smart Katniss, but I will never understand how you are so oblivious."

I never get a chance to say anything because as soon as I open my mouth someone interrupts me "I agree with Cato." Cato who seems shocked looks to the door thinking someone has crept in one us but I know that voice even if it's low and much more horse than usual and I jump from my spot in the floor clinging to the bed rail as I look down on the now awake yet very much drowsy Prim.

"Prim!"

She smiles up at me with such happiness you would think she were not just in a horrible car accident. Her eyes then move from mine to Cato who is now standing too behind me. "Well this wasn't the way I was hoping to meet you." stepping around me so he can see her better he smiles just as big down at her.

"I'm just glad to meet you altogether." He says, her eyes return to mine and as she moves to a different position she winces in pain "I'm going to goget the nurse." brushing his hand against mine he leaves the room to do just that leaving me and Prim alone.

I want so badly to hold her but from the looks of her every part of her must be in pain so I restrain myself and only place her slender hand in between both of mine.

Prim'shand grips at one of mine and her smile slowly fades when she begins to talk, "I wanted to surprise you and Sae," she stops closing her eyes and shaking her like she had done something horribly wrong in making the choice. "I'm so sorry." Her voice cracks and I know it won't be long before she begins to cry herself.

"No, don't apologize, Prim. It was an accident. You can't blame yourself. The only person at fault is the stupid idiot who hit your cab." she smiles but not a real smile it's a smile that she hopes will convince me she believes me. Then as if remembering something her smile falls and her eyebrows come together as if she is watching a movie I can't see, replaying the car accident in her head maybe, I think, so I gently squeeze her hand again in between mine hoping to comfort her.

"Katniss, it was so strange, it was like-" She stops mid sentence as the nurse hurries in with Cato right behind her, I turn back to Prim wanting her to finish but she simply shakes her head at me silently telling me we will have to talk later.

"Hello there Primrose, I'm Natasha your nurse, I'm just going to check your vitals and bandages then the doctor will want to see you as well."

I step soundlessly out of her way and watch from the wall next to the door as Natasha works over Prim checking her pulse and blood pressure.

I can't help but feel like whatever Prim was about to say wasn't going to be good news, it was almost as if she didn't think the car accident was an accident at all and the idea that someone would intentionally try and hurt Prim. Prim who is the gentle most kindest person I have ever known, makes me wonder if there is much bigger picture to be seen that I haven't yet uncovered.

Cato brings me out of my thoughts with his warm breath fanning over my ear sending a chill down my spine. "What's wrong?"

Being reminded that he is here next to me puts my nerves at ease just the slightest bit and knowing that he doesn't intend to leave anytime soon makes me feel that much stronger, "we'll talk later." I say with a nervous smile. He watches me for a moment most likely knowing that something isn't right with me but he nods his head and takes my hand in his,

"Later then." he says with a smile.

I could be wrong, I think, Prim could have been trying to say something completely different than what my own mind has come up with but until she tells me otherwise I can't help but begin to run every possible bad scenario through my head.

* * *

First I want to apologize for how long you had to wait for this chapter. I honestly did not intend on it being so long. I had it about halfway written when things kinda got crazy busy. Then I honestly forgot that was until I got a few reminders. Thank you all for your patients and please know that I plan to finish this story so please don't worry about me leaving you hanging. My work schedule can be erratic sometimes and life can be, well, life. So thank you again for your patients. You all are the best readers and I love you for that!

Alright back to Running. Now I did not kill Prim, many of you thought I would and to be completely honest in the outline that I wrote when I first came up with this story idea I did kill her but when it came to writing it I just couldn't do it. Mostly because I love her character, her innocence and how honestly pure she is. Don't worry I made sure that me keeping her alive didn't change anything I had planned for the rest of the story.

More sweet Catoniss moments this chapter! Yay! Yes I am keeping to SC version of oblivious Katniss, even though I kinda hated that about her it's fitting, I think, to her character. (this might be just me.)

In one of the PMs I got I was asked if there would ever be more than sweet kisses and adorable cuddling. I already replied but in case the rest of you were wondering my answer to that is, yes. Yes yes yes yes yes!

Alrighty I will leave you with that now leave me with your thoughts.

-CM


	20. A Warning

This is a warning post that has spoilers of the next chapter in it. **READ IT!**

There is a reason that the rating on this story has changed. The next chapter of Running is full of sexual content. Yes, that means I wrote a sex scene. Now, I wrote it to where if you don't want to have to read lemons/smut you can completely skip this next chapter and you won't miss out on any of the story. Nothing big or important other than sex happens to any of the characters or storyline.

I am warning you right now, so if you choose to read the next chapter it is your own choice. I can't tell you not to read if you aren't a certain age or whatever, but if you are going to read it please just be mature about it.

We all know that there are plenty of stories on this site that have sex scenes and I have said that I would be writing about it at one point. So again if you don't want to read it, don't read it, it is that simple.

I am not meaning to come off as rude but I have seen people go off on authors because of sex scenes and some of which were far less detailed then the chapter that I just wrote, so I am giving fair warning. Plus, I really do adore all of you for reading my story and I feel like you deserve to have a choice in whether you want to read it or not.

If you do feel the need to complain about it, PM me.

Now enough of this seriousness it's putting a damper on my good mood.

You all have a lovely day/night!

-CM


	21. No Words Needed

No Words Needed

* * *

Prim has been drifting in and out of sleep for the since she initially woke up and the fact that her hospital room had become a revolving door for everyone else that had made the waiting room a herding grounds has done nothing to help her rest. After more than an hour of this Sae and I had had enough and instructed the nurse to tell everyone that Prim was not allowed any more visitors today.

After everyone left Sae and I took turns sitting in the chair beside Prim's bed. Her hand never went unheld whether she was sleeping or awake which was never for very long.

After a few more hours Sae practically pushes me out of the room promising she will keep a close eye on Prim so I can rest. I attempt a protest but, not taking her eyes off mine, she tilts her head towards the wall across from us. I follow the direction of her head and see Cato standing right across the hall from us typing away at his phone screen with his eyebrows pulled together in concentration. I didn't realize he was still here, so with one last look at Prim and a thankful smile to Sae I leave without another word.

"You didn't have to stay." I say pausing in front of Cato who hadn't noticed me until then and was still leaning against the wall in a way that almost looks comfortable. He stops whatever he was doing on his phone and without giving it a second glance shoves it into his pocket and pushes off the wall to walk beside me.

"I know."

I can't help but smile at him when he says this. I needed him today and I didn't even realize that until he was here.

We walk in silence the rest of the way to the parking garage walking closely to each other but not once touching. The small space between us makes my skin tingle with a longing to feel his touch but I resist the urge to reach over the mere centimeters of space there is between us to grab on to his hand.

We exit the elevator and Cato's hand presses against my lower back in what now is a familiar touch and he leads us through the dimly lit space. "I can take myself home," however, I don't see my car and with the way he seems to have ignored my comment I get the feeling it wouldn't matter if I did. Cato intends on taking me home and he isn't giving me the option to disagree with him. I can't help but find that I like the idea of not having to take care of myself even if it's for such a short amount of time.

"I thought for once I would drive." He finally says when we stop beside a glossy black Porsche Boxster. As he holds the door open for me to get in I realize I never imagined what kind of car he would drive but now that I do this small sports car doesn't seem to fit him. I imagine him in something a little bigger and much faster but as speed goes I guess this car really isn't that slow.

I give him my address and even though I'm sure he already knows where I live he says nothing about it pulling out of the parking garage and taking off into the night ignoring the speed limits.

I want to tell him to take me to a hotel or somewhere other than home because I've never actually stayed in the massive house alone before and the thought that I'm home sleeping while Prim is still in that small hospital bed is unsettling.

"I never got a chance to talk to her again." I mumble accidentally thinking out loud. My voice was so low that I hoped for the chance that he didn't hear me but I can tell the way his eyes darted quickly at me that I know he heard me.

I think for a minute that he's going to pretend like he didn't hear me but then he sighs like he had been holding his breath for a few seconds, "You're worried," he states taking his eyes of the road for a second to look at me and thenquickly returning them. Even though it's dark and the look was short I must of have had it written on my face because he adds, "Katniss, she was just in a car accident, everything must seem weird to her right now."

I know he's trying to help and even though this time his words aren't as comforting, I decide that now isn't the time to begin a discussion about it. "Maybe." is all I say as he pulls to a stop in the circle drive in front of my house.

I don't wait for him to come around and open my door and as I make my way up the stairs I silently hope that he follows me in. If I could just convince him to stay with me for one night I think I could actually manage a small amount of sleep tonight.

Cato is by my side just as I unlock the door almost soundlessly but I catch the quickness of his breaths that he is trying to hide. He ran to catch up to me, I silently think with a small smile.

He doesn't say anything and neither do I**,** I simply close the door behind us and lead the way upstairs. Cato is good at knowing what I need without me having to tell him. It's strange, how well he seems to understand me, sometimes better then I even understand myself.

"This is my fault," he stops me, grabbing my arm with a forceful yet somehow tender grip, just as we get to my room. Turning to face him I can't help but be confused by what he thinks he's at fault about. "My father's fault," he says correcting himself when he sees my confusion. "He has scared you hasn't he?" I want to say no, to say that I didn't let Drake have that over me but I can't. I can't bring myself to say anything. Maybe he did scare me, maybe all along he did exactly what he intended to do. "You don't have to worry about him," his hand has slid up my arm and is now holding on to my shoulder and I look away from Cato to stare at where his hand rests. Grabbing onto my other shoulder, he pulls at me just the tiniest bit to bring my attention back to him, "Do you understand?" It's easy for me to believe him, to trust him, it always has been. And looking into his eyes now, wide and serious, they hold the promise of his words to me.

"Yes."

"Good." He steps closer to me, moving one of his hands to take out my hair tie that holds my tasseled braid. "You just need to relax," he says as he runs his fingers gently through my hair, helping it come completely undone.

At his touch I lean my head into his hand finally getting that touch I've been longing for since leaving the hospital. He moves so fast stepping closer to me, and wrapping an arm around my waist he pulls me to meet him in a kiss that distracts me from everything except for him.

It takes mere seconds for our kiss to deepen as our hands start to wander over each other's bodies.

"Cato," I groan when his lips leave mine so he can lift my shirt over my head. Like magnets, as soon as the shirt as been tossed to the floor our lips meet again. His fingers find the clasp of my bra just as I start to lift his shirt over his head and our arms get caught and tangled together for a few moments as we stumble around the room trying to find the nearest flat surface without breaking away from each other for more than a few seconds at a time.

Finally getting his shirt off, I throw it with a frustrated grunt as he does the same with my bra that I think I might have heard rip. My lips are already wonderfully sore when he once again begins to kiss me as his fingers are making easy work of the button on my pants. Just as I unbutton his he drops down and whips my pants off in one swift motion. Despite the fact that Cato just moved like lightening, he makes his ascent up my body torturously slow, all the while leaving a trail deliciously sweet kisses over my stomach. It is just as the back of my legs hit the edge of my bed that his lips capture mine and in one movement he wraps his arm around my waist lifting me up he gently places me the bed and then carefully crawls on with me. "Cato," I say in a voice that is so filled with desire that I barely recognize it as my own. With this he stops, taking his lips away from me, I resist the urge to shudder as it leaves me feeling cold and bare. Cato reluctantly raises himself off me so he can look me in the eyes. I don't eventry to hide my marveling of the cures and ridges that form his perfectly sculpted chest. There couldn't be a more beautiful man, I think as I take in every inch of bare skin before my eyes finally lock with his. He's watching me with a confused smile and I remember why I was saying his name, why I was trying to get his attention. I wanted to say something, to tell him something but right now this isn't about that, this is about an overwhelming need and desire. Now isn't the time for words and feelings to be tossed around in a desperate manner. Now, neither of us needs to say anything at all. So I ignore my first intentions and his questionable look and pull myself up so I'm sitting in between his legs. Fisting my hands in his hair, I pull him back to me hoping he'll let me pick up where we left off.

There's a reluctance about him now and for a moment I'm afraid this is all going to stop. I break our kiss, letting my lips play along his jaw until I reach his ear, "Please." I whisper and all at once that intensity is back as his hands grasp me by the waist so firmly I gasp and before I can respond to him he has me on my back again letting his body hover over mine in an almost teasing way as his mouth works over mine. The few moments that I was in control are over and there is no doubt in my mind that I won't be getting anymore moments like that again tonight.

With one hand still gripping my waist, holding me where he wants me, the other grabs the thin fabric of my panties and yanks them down my legs so that now I lay completely naked under him.

Not wanting to release me, he makes me work for it as I reach his pants, shoving them and his boxers as far down his legs as I can. His hand loosens so it can slide under me to pull my body flush against him, not wasting another second as he slides himself full force into me. The moan that escapes my mouth is more like a sigh a pure relief, loving the pleasure that has come with finally having him as close as I can possibly get him. He takes this as a sign, letting out his own moan into my mouth, as he begins to thrust himself into me with desperate inpatients. He shoves his free hand into my hair and with just the right amount of force pulls my head back breaking our kiss, surprised, I cry out and at this point I don't know if it's from the pain of him yanking my hair or if it's from his lips leaving mine. He doesn't seem to notice as he takes advantage of my newly exposed neck, sucking and nipping at me, bringing me that much closer to the edge.

All of a sudden it's as if he isn't close enough to me or deep enough in me, so I wrap my legs around his waist, tightening my grip as I pull him down into me, raising my hips to meet his just as he pushes into me again. The feeling causes me to call out his name, which I never fully get out as his lips swallow the last of my cries.

He releases my waist and hair so quickly and all at once to brace his hands against the bed on either side of my head grabbing the sheets tightly in his fists and even though he lifts himself off me, he never once takes his lips off mine. It is just as I begin to notice the muscles in Cato's body flexing and glistening with sweat that he pushes into me filling me so completely that I am unable to stop myself and I cry out in pure pleasure while reaching up to clutch onto his arms where no doubt in the morning will be marks.

Nipping at my jaw line he makes his way down my neck keeping in rhythm with each thrust until he reaches my breast. Cato closes his mouth over my nipple and my body arches into him begging for more. His tongue was made for this, I think to myself, as he expertly works it over my nipple. I whimper in disappointment when he releases it but I'm only disappointed for a split second as he takes my other breast in his mouth. My nails, which were digging into his shoulders, have made trails down his back each time he brings me so close to my peak, begging him without words to push me over that last little bit into a world of falling ecstasy.

Both of us are breathing heavily and only moans and cries of pleasure fill the room and with no one else being home I don't hold myself back when he begins to thrust into me faster and harder and each time he does, the feeling is ten times more amazing as it was just seconds before. Cato is holding on to my hips with bruising pressure and bringing my body into meet push sends me flying over my ledge and I am consumed in a soft electric-like tingling that makes my back arch, my toes curl and my nails dig into his shoulders as I scream his name. Cato comes down to meet my lips just as his body tenses as well and ends both our moaning with another kiss that is just as desperate as the one that started this all.

As if he senses where this will lead us again, he reluctantly pulls away and lies down beside me, looking as relaxed and tired as I feel. I scoot myself over so that I can rest my head on his arm, leaning down he places a long lingering kiss on my forehead just as my eyes shut. For a short time I let myself not worry over what may or may not have really happened with Prim or Drake and his threats and I really relax for the first time since the last time Cato and I shared a bed.

* * *

I will give you a few seconds…

Did I not tell you that it wouldn't be all lovey dovey snuggles and kisses all the time? I realize that this may in fact upset some people while making others extremely happy, but I did put in a warning before this chapter so if you went ahead and read then I cannot be blamed.

Now, there has been another change. As I have already said in previous ANs, my work schedule can be very crazy sometimes and with this along will helping my soon to be sister-in-law plan her wedding and a few personal issues my writing has slowed and _to me_ has been slowly becoming, well, bad. (at least to me.) So I have taken on a co-writer to help me out so that you all do indeed get regular updates and at some point a finished story. (and when I say regular I mean updates at least once a week.) Jennifer has so kindly agreed to help out, so everyone say hello! There might be times when she posts chapters and others when I post them but from now on we will both be taking part in the writing of each of the coming chapters. I assure you that this is a good change so please continue to follow, read, and review.

Now review so I know what you thought of my attempt at writing smut/lemons/ sex. Lol!

-CM


	22. Prim Returns Home

Prim Returns Home

For those of you who chose to skip the last chapter this chapter picks up where it left off. Putting it simply, Cato gave Katniss a ride home from the hospital and ended up staying the night after certain events.

* * *

I am in that dreamlike state between sleep and consciousness, feeling so very content when I begin to faintly hear the familiar voices of Sae, Prim, Boggs and Gale. I barely have time to wonder if it is a dream when I very clearly hear the sound of doors closing. This sends an electric current of panic throughout my body fully waking me from a blissful state. I roll over quickly and my face smashes into Cato's well-defined bare chest. My eyes shoot open and I begin to chant, "Oh God, Oh God!" I quickly try to untangle my limbs from the sheets and scramble out of the bed, racing to put clothes on. I manage to pull the closest shirt I can find over my head not even caring which one it is.

"Katniss," Cato says a little too loudly. "Shh!" I hiss; this only makes Cato laugh. I throw him one of my patented glares. How is it that I am essentially teetering on the edge of a full-blown panic attack and he finds it amusing? "Don't! This. Is. Not. Funny!" I growl, pulling my pants up quickly then bending over to pick up Cato's clothes. "Yes. Yes it is" he says dodging each item of clothing I throw in his direction. Catching his boxers he raises his eyebrows sporting a huge grin and I can't help but giggle a little then myself."Get dressed and just be quiet" I say as I finger comb my hair pulling it into a braid and simultaneously walk towards the door. I realize that Cato is following me so I spin around on my heels and rest my palms on his pecs stopping him. In a fake authoritative voice I say "No," firmly losing all the playfulness from moments before. "You are staying in here."

Cato scrunches his face up in an attempt to pout, "But I'm hungry" he whines playfully grabbing my wrists and pulling me against him so that almost every inch of me is touching him, clearly meaning something other than actual food. Smiling against his lips as he kisses me I pull away, maneuvering quickly around him, before it's too late and go rummaging around in my desk until I find a candy bar. "Here, this should hold you over till-"

I never get to finish that sentence because I suddenly hear Prim's voice; "Katniss, wake up you bum –I'm home." I shove the candy bar at Cato but he manages to grab hold of my waist pulling me into another kiss that has me wanting to crawl back in bed with him despite everyone being here.

"I'll go get her." I hear Gale say. I shudder and whisper; "Shit!" I quickly pry myself away from Cato who seems pleased with the idea of Gale coming up here and finding the two of us together. "You. Stay." I say in all seriousness while playfully jabbing my finger into his chest. He smiles and I can tell he wants to say something but refrains as I squeeze out of my barely opened door to rush down stairs.

Gale is just coming out of the den most likely to find me. He squeezes out a forced smile and steps aside so I can walk in. He follows me back into the den not once acting like he wanted to say anything. I don't have to guess why he seems so uncomfortable and unhappy around me but I choose to not let the thought bother me until we are alone. Gale is my best friend and me his, so I know that this will pass. "Why didn't anyone call? I would have come and brought you home." I say once in the room to both Prim who is sitting on the couch and Sae who is hovering over her. "Prim insisted on letting you sleep" Sae says looking up at me then.

"Is someone here?" Gale asks coming around me to stand next to Boggs who only nod his head to acknowledge me. I then remember Cato drove us here last night and that his car is of course still parked out front and almost on cue Prim adds; "Someone's car is outside."

Gale watches me suspiciously and Boggs pretends to not pay any attention while Sae conveniently leaves the room mumbling something about lunch.

"I couldn't find my car last night so-"

Prim interrupts me squealing; "Cato! Cato is here?!" I notice that while her whole face lights up at the thought, it clearly has the opposite effect on Gale as he instantly scowls and waits for me to admit that this is indeed true. "Where is he? One of the guest rooms?" Prim pauses and dramatically lowers her voice, "Your room?"

There really is no reason to hide the truth, other than the fact that this is Cato and no one will believe that I didn't share my room with him and that nothing happened. So in a panic I say the first thing besides the truth that I can think of, "He just let me use his car." I feel as though I might vomit from lying like this but admitting that Cato is here and in my room couldn't lead to anything good right now and I just know it would only worsen things with Gale.

Prim nods looking disappointed while Gale exchanges a look with Boggs. I choose to ignore it because now that I've lied I have to not only figure out a way to get Cato out of my room but the house too, and then back home without anyone noticing. Talk about mission impossible, I inwardly groan as I realize I quite effectively managed to get myself out of the proverbial frying pan and into the fire.

After small talk of how she slept last night in the hospital while she eats half a bowl of soup, I offer to help Prim to her room so that she can get some rest once and as we pass my room, she eyes the door suspiciously as if she expects Cato to pop out at any given second.

Once we get her in her room and settled into her bed she asks, "Can I please say hi to him?"

"To whom?" I make as though I don't know what she means.

"Cato," she say with a knowing smile, "I can always tell when you're lying – you do that thing where you brush your hair back even though it's not in your face."

"I always forget that I do that." I say handing her another pillow to put under her head. "Yes, you can see him, but only for a second. You need your sleep."

We hear the doorbell chime and Prim makes a face. "I should pretend I'm asleep now" she says not wanting to deal with anymore of the extended family we both dread so much. I can't help but laugh but when Prim begins to laugh too she whines, cringing and cradling her side, ceasing our laughing altogether.

As quickly as it happened she exhales letting her body relax while giving me a small smile telling me she's fine but even so I grab her hand holding it between both of mine, "I'm so glad you are alright Prim. Without you… I just..." I shake my head in attempt to shake out all the awful thoughts and images that just popped up at the idea of losing her. "I don't even want to think about that." She stares off like she's remembering the whole accident again, "Prim, you told me it was weird, do you remember that?"

"Yeah, but..."

"It's okay; we don't have to talk about it." I force myself to smile trying to hide my worry.

She returns my smile not trying to hide how scared the memories make her. "The car... the driver... I saw it all happening, it was like everything was in slow motion." She pauses to takes a long, deep breath as if she hopes to get this all out in one breath. "The engine of the car, I heard it, and for a second the roar stopped and the car slowed down. Just for a second. Not even a second. But it stopped. The driver... he hesitated. He took his foot of the gas for a second. I know that sounds weird and I can't prove it but I...I just _know_ that's what happened." Prim shakes her head as if wishing she was just remembering it all wrong, "Katniss, that guy... he knew what he was doing… he meant to hit me." She says in a tight voice as her eyes fill with tears. My chest tightens in anger and pain having to see my little sister so scared right now. This little girl, who could have been easily crushed to death in that car accident, doesn't deserve to know this kind of fear. I bend over her pressing my head against her forehead trying to fight my own tears.

"Prim, I am going to figure this out, alright. I am going to take care of this and all I want you to worry about is getting some rest." I say to her before kissing her hand quickly then letting it go hoping that she won't be able to feel or notice that my hands have begun to shake. "Let me go get Cato."

As soon as I close the door behind me I pull out my phone and make a quick text to the one person I know I can trust to help me then slip into my room to find that Cato is gone. With my heart racing, I check my bathroom and even the room across the hall from mine thinking he might have hid there just in case. But nothing. Cato is officially nowhere to be found. Is it possible that he left, I wonder, could he have really snuck out with the watchdog that is Gale only steps away? Just then I hear him downstairs and my heart begins to pound harder in my chest. I try to throw together another lie to explain his presence as I race down the stairs but each one sounds more ridiculous than the one before it. There is no hiding now that I lied this morning about him being here and no more point in continuing to lie about it.

The first thing I notice when I come into the den again before my eyes rest on Cato is that Gale is already gone.

"Ah, here she is" Sae says, "Did she go to sleep?"

"No, not yet." I reply and I try my hardest not to look at Cato with everyone's eyes on me. It is then that I notice his demeanor; Cato is acting like he doesn't have a care in the world, as if being here was completely normal and I immediately start to relax because I know he must have a plan.

"Well, Cato just had someone drop him off so he could take his car back," Sae says to me while pointing out the large vase of flowers on the console table closest to Cato "and he brought Prim flowers."

While I truly have no idea how he managed all this in such a short time, I do know that I shouldn't be surprised. Suddenly the space between us is too much but with Sae and Boggs in the room I keep my feet planted in their place as I watch him watching me from where he stands across the room."I will of course drive you back to the hospital for your car" he says with a look that tells me that he feels just as I do, hating the distance between us. Relieved by this, I let out my breath as discreetly as possible not realizing until then that I had been holding it. Then, almost with too much excitement, I remember Prim wanted to see Cato. I turn my attention back to the flowers so it looks as though the flowers have made me so happy. "Prim would want you to give those to her yourself." His eyes light up, "I would be honored." Cato picks up the flowers, cradling the upright vase against his side so he can see as he follows me upstairs.

Once we reach the top of the stairs I slow so that I'm walking next to him. "How?" I whisper unable to hide my curiousness.

"I snuck out of your room to leave and overheard you telling your little story. So I made a call. Once I got outside, I walked a few minutes down the road so I could be picked up. I am Cato Bronn." he says with a bit of playful cockiness and a smirk.

"You were going to just leave," I say not hiding my shock.

"Yes" is all he says with a smile. I want to ask why. Why he would just leave without so much as a note? But I don't ask, Cato had every right to just leave, he has a life and I shouldn't have asked him to just hideaway in my room until I came back. Even so, it still hurt that he didn't stay. "You don't want to know why?" he asks.

"I don't need to know if that's what you mean" this comes out a more harshly then I intended. I was hoping to hide my overbearing thoughts from him.

He steps in front of me just as I reach for Prim's door handle. "Stop that" he says looking down on me.

I start to open my mouth to speak, even though I'm not really sure what to say. Then I hear Prim on the other side of the door; "Katniss?" he watches me for a second wanting me to say whatever it is I was about to say but when he sees I'm not saying anything he steps aside allowing me to open the door, following me into Prim's room. "Cato!" she squeals when she sees him

"Hey there, I brought you some flowers." He says passing me to get closer to Prim's bed. "But…" she looks past him at me in complete confusion because she had thought he had been in my room the whole time like I did.

"He left and came back" I say in a way of explaining quickly.

"Thank you," she says returning her attention back to Cato to ask how he's doing just as my phone rings. Pulling it out, I excuse myself from the room to answer it leaving Cato alone with Prim.

"Katniss, you should come to the hospital to pick up your car." Anyone listening who didn't know Gale as well I as do wouldn't catch the hinting manner about his suggestion. My stomach twists and my head begins to spin with different ideas of why he thinks I need to go back there right now. "I'll leave now let me just say goodbye to Prim."

"Are you bringing Cato?"

"I don't know." I say but in that moment I'm not sure why. It's not because he snuck away and I tell myself it's not because I don't trust him…but if not those reasons then why? Why did I not immediately say yes?

* * *

So, can you tell which parts Jennifer wrote and which parts I wrote?! She is pretty great and helpful right!?

Speaking of helpful I need to introduce KATIE! Those of you who follow me on Tumblr know we are friends so when she offered to Beta now that Jennifer is co-writing I squealed! I absolutely love her! And so will you! It's not an option! LOVE HER!

How many of you knew Prim's accident wasn't an accident?! I'm betting quite a few of you. What do you think of Gale being the person she trusts over Cato? And how do you feel with her being unsure of Cato, seemingly out of the blue, at the end of this chapter?

There is going to be a lot happening and a lot more revealed in chapters to come. Prepare yourselves. You won't know what hit you.

On a side note: For those of you not following me on Tumblr, come follow me! imakeyounopromises . tumblr . com I have decided to occasionally and randomly give out teasers for coming chapters to make things a little more interesting! And while you're there follow Katie! katie0314 . tumblr . com

Ok, that is all. Now leave me with your lovely thoughts!

-CM


	23. The Jacob Connection

The Jacob Connection

* * *

I quietly walk back into Prim's room and Cato raises his eyebrow at me, as if he instinctively knows something is up. This realization makes me catch my breath. How is it that someone who I have known for such a short period of time knows me better than I almost know myself?

Recollecting myself, I turn my attention to Prim and remind her that I still have to go back to the hospital to get my car.

"Which means I have to leave too, little one?" She scrunches her face at the nickname he's just bestowed upon her and looks like she is about to remind him that she is not so little when he adds; "I promise to visit again soon." This placates Prim and she smiles at the idea of another visit from Cato.

Bending over her bed, trying to be as gentle as possible, I kiss her forehead. "You sleep," I softly command her but by the time I'm standing again I see that my words were completely unnecessary as her eyes are already heavy.

Prim raises her hand a few inches off the bed wiggling her fingers at us as we go to leave. "Bye."

As soon as I step outside of Prim's room Cato instantly begins to question me, "What's happened?"

"Nothing..."I shake my head slightly rubbing my temple. "It's nothing." I repeat. Though again I'm not sure why I'm feeling this way towards him. I should know better, I should have learned my lesson on jumping to conclusions and being paranoid when it comes to Cato.

"Katniss," he says, stepping in front of me demanding my attention. "Hey, look at me." He takes my chin in his palm gently forcing my head up so that I'm looking into his crystal-blue eyes. "I'm sorry I just left. Is that what this is about?"

"No." I assure him.

"Then what?" He says becoming confused "You can trust me Katniss, you know that don't you? Tell me what's happened." I instantly feel guilty in hesitating about not wanting to tell him about what Prim had told me and about my short conversation with Gale. While I know why I'm being like this, I mean given what has happened in my very recent past and Drake's involvement with parts of it.

_No_. I have to mentally remind myself that this is Cato, _he is NOT his father and I do trust him_. So very quickly in hushed tones I explain to him what Prim had said to me and the way Gale had sounded over the phone. "Let's go get your car then." he says with a scary seriousness, his crystal eyes becoming dark and determined. Quickly he reaches and grabs my hand, squeezing it ever so slightly, then letting it drop just as quickly not once looking down at me.

Once down stairs I quickly tell Sae and Boggs that Cato will be taking me to pick up my car. Sae, who looks to be making out a grocery list, says nothing and only smiles acknowledging she heard me. Boggs, who I have noticed eyeing Cato with a strange look when he thinks no one is looking, tells us to drive safe. With nothing else being said we leave in a subtle rush.

The ride to the hospital is quiet for the most part with only Cato asking me once to retell him what Prim had relayed to me.

Once at the hospital Cato pulls right up to the hospital's main entrance. "You're not coming in?" It then hits me just how much I want him to be with me. All my strange doubts from earlier are washed away and replaced with a nervous ache. Cato, taking hold of the back of my head, draws me to him kissing me firmly. When he frees my hair and our lips break apart he says; "You trust me?" It sounds more like then a statement then an actual question, but I nod anyway thinking it will be enough. "No, I need you to say it…and mean it." He says almost demanding my verbal answer while running his finger along my cheek, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Yes, I trust you." I insist and it's almost as if this relaxes him, like he didn't think I trusted him at all and after the way I acted at my house with him only a short time ago, I don't blame him. But despite my reluctance then, I know I do trust him.

More tenderly this time he brings my face back to his, kissing me so lightly that our lips are touching for barely a second.

Pulling himself away from me and turning himself correctly back in his seat he sighs, "No, I'm not coming in with you."

All of a sudden it's like a wave of worry washes over me. Once again Cato seems to sense my feelings as he turns back to me leaning himself across the car to me again. Gently he cups my cheeks and looks directly in my eyes. "Whatever Gale thinks you need to be here for I know you can handle." I simply stare at his beautiful face drawing strength from his calm demeanor. He believes in me and maybe always has. He's right, I can handle this. And it's not like I will be alone, Gale is here somewhere as well.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

"I have something I want to check out myself." I search his eyes silently begging for a more specific answer but he only smiles, "You trust me, remember."

He holds my car keys out to me. I cock my head but I don't even bother with asking him how he got my keys in the first place. "I trust you." I cannot help smirking at him as I take my keys from his hand and with a quick kiss I get out of the car.

As I am walking into the hospital, I realize that while I do trust Cato I am really curious as to where exactly he is going, but before I become to engrossed in my own thoughts, Gale comes up from behind me and silently falls in step next to me.

We quietly continue deeper into the lobby until he leans down to inform me; "The driver lived. He's about to be discharged. Second floor." This stops me dead in my tracks knowing very well what he expects me to do with this information. I look up at his face and see nothing but concern; "Are you going to be alright? You can wait here and I can go talk to him."

"No, I'm fine." I say jabbing my finger into the elevator call button and when it comes we both step in without another word.

The silence stops just as elevators dings at our floor. "You're sure, that it wasn't an accident?" he asks just as I go to step out, grabbing a hold of my arm so softly that if I wanted I could easily rip it away from him. I know Gale though and despite how he acted towards Cato, I know this his him showing he's worried about me and nothing more than that.

"That's what I'm going to find out."

He nods letting me know he understands and ever so slightly his thumb caresses my arm where he's holding me but quickly drops his hand before I can say anything.

Once we exit the elevator, "We're going this way." He mumbles, tilting his head to the right as he leads us down the hall. "But the room is in the other direction." I've known Gale long enough to know that there's a good reason why he's leading us this way instead. I don't have to guess why when one of the nurse's head jerks in our direction when we are only a few feet from the elevator. She hastily finishes what she's doing then comes around the nurses' station walking purposely towards us.

Gale leans over and whispers in my ear, "We aren't supposed to be here. Room 3356. Go. I'll deal with her." He says never once taking his eyes of the approaching nurse. Not saying a word I turn around and head back the direction we came from. Knowing Gale will undoubtedly be able to fully distract the nurse I don't feel the need to look back and check to see if anyone is watching when I walk right past the elevator. I pass only two doors before I reach 3356 and slip in quietly unnoticed.

The room is dark and the curtain is drawn so that whoever is lying in the bed on the other side can't see me but knows someone just walked in. "Nurse?"

I say nothing hoping if I could just recognize the voice I won't have to look at him.

I take a step closer to the curtain so that I can hear him better when he speaks again his voice tighter this time, "Jacob?"

I freeze my foot in mid step my heart stops and my breath catches as the name projects in my mind. I know the name. But I don't. I shake my head to try to pull my thoughts together, there have to be thousands of Jacobs in New York, I remind myself. But even so I can't lose the feeling that I know a Jacob. But despite how hard I think about it I can't seem to place a single Jacob. Still, Jacob could be someone Drake knows, I decide to look into the name once I'm back home.

"Hello?!" I hear the now frightened man nearly scream and not wasting any more time I walk around the curtain.

I don't know what I had expected but the man in the bed in front of me is not it. He has dirty orange hair like he hasn't washed it in days and pale white freckled skin that is covered in bruises and tiny scratches. In comparison to my sweet, innocent sister who looks broken and battered, this man hardly looks hurt at all and the thought makes my blood boil.

As soon as he recognizes me he straightens in his bed his eyes widen and before his jaw clenches I notice the smallest quiver in his chin. He's scared, I think. His demeanor is already betraying him as guilty. Smiling I take a dramatic step forward as if to remind him that he should be scared.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you but Jacob won't be visiting you."

I want to laugh as I watch his shaky hand reach for the call button. "I'm not here to hurt you but if you push that button I can gladly change my plans." If possible his eyes widen further his hand still out stretched trying to guess if I'm being honest.

I drop my smile, my face portraying just how deadly serious I am and I take another step towards him, "Do I need to remind you that you tried to kill my sister? So please, give me a reason to do the same to you." I surprise myself by how much I actually mean what I'm saying to this man. The thought of me actually hurting someone has honestly never crossed my mind before but standing here in the room with the man who tried to kill the last of my family, the only person left that I'm sure I love, the thought feels more right than anything else's right now.

"You know."

"You thought that because I didn't know you, because Prim didn't know you, that it would remain a secret? Who do you think told me?"

He says nothing.

"Go on, take a wild guess, I'm interested to know who you think was so quick to betray you." He swallows hard clenching his hands together in a nervous manner. "You don't know anything!" he insists

"I know more than you think. I now know who you are, I know what your goal was, and why." I pause for a moment before I decide to take it a step further, "And I know exactly who Jacob is and why you were so scared that it was him here to see you." I watch hoping he takes my bait, hoping he can't tell I've just spewed out nothing but lies and when his face pales and his eyes once again widen I know I've succeed. Even so, now I can't push for more information or he will know that I really do know nothing. I can only hope that what little I got from him will be enough. "I'm only here to tell you to your face that I sure as hell hope that this was worth it to you."

I don't wait for a response, I turn and walk out of the room ignoring his pleas for forgiveness and understanding. I slip out the door as quickly as I slipped in and nearly run face first into Gale who now looks as pale as the man I've just walked out on.

"Gale?"

"We need to go."

"That nurse couldn't have given you that hard of a time."

"The nurse?" He says confused and then as if remembering who he is talking to he corrects himself, "Right, the nurse. She wasn't a problem at all. We just need to go." Now my "spidey-senses" are tingling. Something is off, something has changed. If it were anyone else standing in front of Gale they would not be able to tell the subtle shift in him. If it were anyone else he would be doing a great job of hiding whatever it is he is trying to hide from me right now. But I know Gale, just as well as he knows me and I'm not fooled by any of this.

I then take a mental step back, shaking my head slightly. I'm just paranoid, it's nothing. I have to remind myself, he's my best friend, I trust him and it's wrong of me to sit here and let myself be paranoid about him in any way. Of all people Gale would never betray me. So I say nothing else about his change in moods as we walk down the hall back to the elevator.

The ride is quick and as we step out of the elevator my phone rings. "Hello?"

"Katniss, listen, where are you?"

Rounding the corner we come into the main lobby of the hospital that is a few people short of being empty. "The hospital." I say playfully hoping his panicked tone is just me over thinking things again.

"Good, but where in the hos-" Cato's voice breaks off just as we make eye contact from across the room. He's standing by the rotating doors like he's just walked in and had been scanning the room trying to decide where to go. Suddenly I feel Gale's hand on my arm and it's different from earlier, the tenderness is gone, his touch is possessive, he is trying to hold be back from Cato. I watch as Cato's eyes narrow and he starts to walk in our direction. Not wanting something to happen, I quickly pull my arm away from Gale's grasp, not bothering to look at him and hurry to meet Cato.

"Your keys." he says quietly while discreetly holding his hand opened.

"What?"

"Give me your keys." Quickly I hand them over and watch as he stuffs them into his pocket just as Gale comes up behind me. Cato's body instantly becomes relaxed and it's hard to hide my shock – only seconds ago he was crossing the room towards Gale with a look that could kill. But know his icy-cool demeanor is gone and he is smiling softly at me when he pulls my keys back out.

"You left these in my car, babe." I know exactly what he's doing and so does he and I don't have to look back at Gale to know Cato's little nickname has done its job.

Confused by his motives right now besides messing with Gale I reach up and take the keys back from him. "You mind giving me a ride home? I let Luci drive my car home." Then it hits me what he is trying to do, so I nod with a smile and turn myself so that I'm standing next to him and where I'm now able to see Gale's face. "I'll see you later?" I question trying to make sure I sound as normal as I would saying it any other time.

"Yeah," he says after a few seconds of watching me with what I can only think is worry. He gives me a curt nod not once looking at Cato again and walks around us and out of the hospital.

Turning back to Cato who has lost his cool façade, his demeanor has once again become cold and serious. Unable to help myself I reach up on my tip toes clinging onto his shirt and whisper in his ear "So, where are we going?" Tearing his eyes away from watching Gale leave he looks down at me, his eyes that only seconds ago were full of coldness are now full of a hunger that instantly engulfs me as well.

He wraps an arm around my waist pulling me into his side. "Two places," he says as we begin to walk "but first, my house."

* * *

GUYS GUYS GUYS! OVER 300 REVIEWS! I CANT NOT TELL YOU HOW HAPPY I AM! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

Okay, I'm done freaking out. First let me say, sorry for the wait, I really am trying to get better. I should now say we. WE are trying to get better. Lol. I am still very excited that I have Jennifer and Katie helping me with this story. Without them, know the wait would be SO much longer.

Now, Jacob, rack your brains my sweet lovelies, for if Katie cannot even guess who he is then I bet you will all have a hard time as well. I made a point not to leave very many clues behind as to who he may be. Ah the suspense. I do love it. Do you?

Next chapter is already in the making and will hopefully be sent to Jennifer tonight and then to Katie and then to you. If things go as planned the next chapter won't take a week+ to post.

Alright my lovely readers, leave me your thoughts!

-CM


	24. Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek

* * *

The feeling that I get as we pull up to Cato's family home is quite similar to the one I felt when I first looked at their business complex. It appears in all areas of Drake Bronn's life he is a big proponent of 'bigger is better.' I cannot stop the smirk that creeps across my face as I silently ask myself if he is trying to make up for inadequacies in other areas. Besides the obvious size difference between our two homes, the gated entry makes me realize that it is also more secure. My dad was big on trust, always telling people they could trust him and that he always put his trust in those around him. "Putting up gates and fancy locks doesn't make people admire your house and trust you more, it makes them think you have something to hide, and worse, it makes them think you're trying to play a game of 'Mine is better than yours,' and you never want to play that game with the people around you, it never plays out well," I remember him saying to me once.

Once Cato parks he hurries around the car to me, takes my hand and leads me around the house. We go through what I can only guess is the back door but with a house this size it could be a side door. The door leads us into a huge game room. I stop abruptly which causes Cato to jerk to a stop as well. I listen for any noises and voices and quickly scan the room but do not see or hear anything other than several arcade games begging to be played.

"No one's here," Cato says answering my silent question. Still holding tight to my hand he pulls me behind him only looking over his shoulder every so often to smile at me. A smile that tells me that we aren't here to discuss any information on the driver who hit Prim's cab or who Jacob could be.

Not wanting to be dragged behind him anymore I reach up with my free hand and grab his arm to pull myself up to him, even so I have to pick up my pace so that instead of walking behind him I am walking beside him.

His muscles tense and he halts almost instantly at my touch. He moves so fast turning into me causing me to take a rocky step back. His free arm wraps around my waist just as my back hits the wall causing me to gasp. Honestly, it's not my misstep that catches me off guard, it's his eyes. I've only seen them look so intense and lust filled one other time."I want you," he growls, brushing his lips against my ear. I truly don't know if it is this declaration or those crystal blue eyes now almost black with desire for me but my ability to breathe almost vanishes completely. "But with your continued teasing we're not going to make it to my room." His lips slowly move from the shell of my ear and begin to ghost my neck. My body acts on its own and instantly melts into his incredibly hard body begging for more, not caring that we are in the middle of a hallway. Just as I'm beginning to pull him closer to me he pulls his head back and with a look that goes straight to my soul he says in a husky voice, "I can tease too, Katniss." _Tease?_ But when have I teased him? My mind races as I try to register what he is talking about. What could I have done that he took as teasing?

The only things that I can up with is my whispers to him in the hospital and then when we were in his car leaving from the hospital and I remember my fingers lightly trailing their way from his shoulder to his hand before I realized what I was doing and stopped. But he didn't say anything then about my idle fingers in the car but his eyes in the hospital when I asked where we were going were hungry.

The hunger in his eyes then was just as intense as it is now, but what blows my mind away is the only thing I did here was grab his arm. Is it really possible that my touch can cause this kind of primal reaction from him? As if he could read my mind, Cato answers my question with his teeth as they seductively nip at my jaw before his lips move back to my neck more roughly than the delicate breeze of a kiss he left seconds ago in the same place.

I make a mental note that Cato is teased quite easily and this could turn out to be both good and bad for me. Right now, I decide this is definitely a good thing.

"You want me too." He whispers as he takes his hand that had been planted on the wall and grabs the hem of my shirt and at an agonizingly slow pace he inches his fingers up under my shirt. With every inch of skin he touches, he sends a million different electrical currents out in every possible direction making my entire body tingle and crave him. All of him.

I arch into him as his hand slips behind my back making quick work of the clasp of my bra. Then as quickly as he put us against this wall he pulls away from me leaving me completely out of breath and in pure frustration.

"While I would be more than happy to take you right here, right now I don't want to chance anyone walking by."

"But you said-"

"No one as in Ana or my dad but there are still people here." As if on cue a man I can only guess to be a butler or a driver comes around the corner. Cato simply holds his hand up and the man stops, nods at him, and turns and leaves the way he came without a word.

I'm unsure if I could treat people like that and I wonder if he only he does because he was raised in this house with Drake as a father.

"Come." He says dragging me into the closest door. Inside is the most beautiful office I've ever seen. The room is spacious and masculine with its center piece being a wonderfully hand-carved desk. On each wall is a ceiling to floor bookshelf just as beautifully hand-carved as the desk filled with books and without a single empty space.

Cato ignores my admiring eyes of what must be his father's office and boxes me in against one of the very bookshelves I had just been admiring. Before we can do anything, we hear someone outside the door. I instantly know it's a voice both Cato and I find familiar. As soon as I lock eyes with Cato he holds his finger over his lips telling me to keep quiet as his eyes then dart desperately around the room. Yanking me he drags me to a different door then the one we just entered. I initially thought he just pushed us into a closet but there are no clothes to hide behind and every surface I touch is hard and cold. It only takes me a moment to realize its metal.

Hearing the door, Cato wraps his arms around me, holding me tightly to him. Despite our current situation I feel safe because I know that he's ready to protect me if we're discovered, but even so I can't help but be worried for him. What would Drake do to him if he discovered us?

"That is where you are wrong, Finn. Every single detail is important. Now tell me exactly what she said." I have no doubt in my mind that Drake is talking about me.

"I've told you everything already, Sir. She knew the wreck wasn't an accident, she knew who I was, and she said she knew who Jacob was." I immediately recognize the frightened tight voice to be of the man from the hospital. Finn…I replay the name in my head but nothing clicks. I didn't recognize him in the hospital and even with a name to put with his face I still have no clue who he is.

It's deadly quiet for several heartbeats and even from behind this door I can feel the tension in the air. "Ah, so the lovely Miss Everdeen can not only lie, she apparently can do so with conviction. That's a shame." He says in a disturbing manner.

"Mr. Bronn, Sir, I don't think she was lying."

"Oh but she clearly was. Think about it. Don't you think she would have gone and confronted Jacob first if she truly knew who he was?"

"I...I…"

"Which reminds me, why exactly have you come to me instead of him? He hired you not me." Once again silence falls upon the room. "Do you fear him?" Drake asks, sounding almost humored by the thought.

"I know the things he's done, the things he'd be willing to do. Any man who doesn't would be a fool."

"I suppose I can see why you feel that way. He is after all the unassuming assassin from behind enemy lines isn't he? The perfect operative, someone that no one would ever think to expect."

Upon hearing this, my stomach begins to twist in anger and leaves me with even more unanswered questions. First of all, who is Jacob? Secondly, what exactly has he done? And finally, why does Drake find it funny that Jacob would be feared and precisely why does he sound like he is admiring of fact that no one knows just who he is? Replaying the questions in my mind, I realize then that he's admiring because this is his handy work at play here.

"But surely there is no reason for me to remind you that I am the only one to fear between the two of us. Jacob is merely my pawn and you his." Finn says nothing to this, he must know the truth that Drakes words hold. "Now, let's keep Katniss'-"

"But surely she's going to him!"

Even through the door, it's easy to tell Drake has become angered by this man for the interruption. "Yes, but like I said she does not know Jacob as she told you. We shall keep her little lie between us. I can't have Jacob going and making mistakes I have to clean up if he becomes scared again."

'_Again' _by the time he utters the last word in that sentence, my heart nearly stops and my brain begins to work overtime. The only other '_again'_ in regards to my life that I can think of is my dad and his accident. How could I have been so naïve? Why did I take his accident at face value and never think it was anything more than that? I close my eyes trying to regain control of my heart and head. I tell myself I could be wrong, I could be over thinking things but with the way Cato squeezes me at those words I know deep down that I'm over thinking far too late.

"You see that's the thing about the lone assassins, they do not want to be revealed and do such crazy things to keep their secret quiet. I will not allow crazy. Do you understand me Finn?"

"Yes sir."

"Now leave. I have more important things that need to be dealt with.

Oh and Finn, steer clear of Katniss, she's proven too smart for you to handle alone." There's a silence again and then the sound of a door opening then quickly shutting. I am just about to let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding when I hear clicking and then a man's voice, "How can I be of service Mr. Bronn?" I realize he must be using the intercom system.

Drake commands; "Find Cato and get him home. Now."

"Sir, he arrived home nearly an hour ago." Immediately Cato releases me and instinctively steps in front of me and his muscles coils tight like a snake ready to strike, it's as if expecting his father to burst through the door right then.

"Well find him and send him in here!" He barks, apparently angry that he even has to say this.

"Yes sir."

"Wait," I can almost hear the wheels turning in Drake's maniacal mind as seconds tick by. "He is probably downstairs in the gym. I will get him myself." Cato's body immediately relaxes as soon as he hears his father leave the room in search of him.

Cato waits with his hand on the door knob for a minute before finally cracking the door and checking the room. When his shoulders relax just the slightest bit I know it's safe but he turns before I can escape the small closet. "Katniss," He sounds almost apologetic.

"You can't leave me here!"

He gently rubs my arms and puts his forehead on mine; "I don't intend to but what I have planned you may not like."

He looks down at me with a look I can't pin but it leaves me no room to worry, so I reply; "Anything has got to be better than hiding in this closet listening to him."

Taking that as a sign that I'm game for whatever scheme he has cooked up to get us out of this mess he nods his head in the direction of the door we entered almost an hour ago. "Come on."

"But he's looking for you." I remind him. "Yes, in the gym and next he'll check my room." We make our way to the foyer and up one of the double staircases, as soon as we reach the landing I yank my hand out of his grasp and with a mixture of sarcasm & exasperation I ask; "So where exactly do you want me to hide?"

Understanding my confusion, Cato smiles apologetically at me and gently takes my hand back in his pulling me forward into a long hallway, "That's part of the problem. Our staff is very loyal to my father. I have no doubt that Rick will tell him he saw you with me outside his office. There's no hiding for you Katniss, he must find you… he must find both of us."

I instantly become worried and am starting to feel trapped although I really don't have time to panic because Cato somehow senses my emotions and responds; "Don't you fret, like I said I have a plan." However, the way he says it gives me the idea that he hates the very idea of whatever it is he has planned. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought you here." With this we enter his bedroom and he promptly locks the door, I don't even have time to see what his room even looks like before he drags me through another door on the opposite wall and I find ourselves in his bathroom.

There in rushed whispers he tells me what he thinks will be the only way to make Drake believe we were in here in his bedroom the whole time.

When he finishes he watches me intently trying to gauge how I feel about his farfetched idea. _'I trust him, I trust him, I trust him'_ I think to myself over and over as I quickly pull my shirt over my head and hand it to him. With a relieved smile he tosses it into the room then doing the same with his shirt. Turning on the faucet he splashes water on himself and quickly wipes his wet hand across my forehead and neck, then leads me back into the bedroom. Slipping out of my pants and kicking them away as we walk Cato genuinely apologizes to me and kisses my shoulder as he helps me out of my bra and panties. I quickly turn my head and for a moment stare directly into his blue eyes and tell him; "There's no need to apologize."

Cato nods his head to acknowledge that he hears what I'm saying but I can tell he doesn't find truth in my words. Before I know it he scoops me up and drops me on his bed, instantly I start throwing pillows on the floor and I scramble under the covers just in time to watch him undress as well throwing his pants and boxers in different directions before unlocking the door and quickly making his way over to the bed and crawling in on top of me.

I hate myself for wanting him so badly right now, for not caring that any minute I know Drake will come barging through that door. I have to restrain myself from grabbing onto him and pulling him down to me and not making this just a staged scene.

Placing his hands on either side of my head he balls them up in the sheets, "I won't let him see you." He promises against my lips before he kisses me.

The moan that escapes me isn't staged but as the door to his bedroom flies open I almost wish it had been.

As if this has happened before Cato jerks his head around to look at our intruder while leaning all his weight against his arm angling himself in a way so that Drake couldn't see me. "Son, you need to learn what a lock is." Cato shrugs his shoulder and smirks; "I didn't know anyone was home." Cato strategically bunches up the blankets and sheets so that I am completely covered as he just climbs out of bed not bothered that he's naked in front of his father.

Drake doesn't bother to watch his son, his eyes are locked on me seeming shocked and almost disgusted by my presence in his son's bed. With a voice filled with hatred he says; "Send your _toy_ home and meet me in my office." Drake says to Cato with eyes never leaving mine. He is watching me intently trying to gauge my reaction with the way _'toy'_ dripping with venom. I know he is hoping I will be fazed by his insult but I give him nothing more than a smile that tells him I'm still not allowing him to get to me.

Angrily he turns on his heel and leaves the room.

Coming back to the bed buttoning his pants and handing me my bra and panties Cato looks beyond livid from hearing his father's words. "Well that worked better than I had hoped."

* * *

So its been about a week, not too terribly long of a wait for a chapter. And believe me I know, I've waited months for an update before, MONTHS! Painful thing that is, waiting.

Anywho, here you have it another chapter. I have given you a Hot Catoniss moment(s), some Devilish Drake doing his thing and a tiny bit of a clue as to just who this Jacob character may be. You must think by now that you hate me for not just throwing it out there for you to know already, but let's be honest with ourselves here, you enjoy the suspense of not knowing what's coming next, the excitement and wonder of who this Jacob may be and what role he really plays. It's fun, admit it.

Now I've got some (bad) news, I'm planning on going out of town for a bit and I can't promise that I will have a lot of time to write and even if I do I won't be posting anything until I return home. Don't worry, I won't stay gone forever, just a week or two tops. My life so a crazy mess right now that I'm not happy with and I need a break from reality, so I'm giving myself just that.

Leave me your thoughts, because I'm curious to see just how many of you have figured out who Jacob is or may be.

Have a lovely weekend my dears!

-CM

PS: I was also reminded that I hit over 300 reviews a long time ago, I just didnt think to count all the ones I recieved via Tumblr and text messages. So thatnk you again, for all your feed back, it means a ton!


	25. The Reveal

The Reveal

* * *

"I can wait for you." I insist just as Cato opens my car door for me. The whole walk out here I was quiet for the most part. After Cato, who was worried, apologized more times than I could count I finally had to assure him it wasn't his plan for his father to walk in on us or the way Drake had spoke to me, it was Jacob. I had been replaying the conversation between Drake and Finn, trying to make sure that wasn't something I wasn't missing.

"I have a feeling this might take a while." He stretches out his arm so I will get in the car but as I walk past him to slide in my seat he grabs onto my arm stopping me in my place. I expect him to kiss me, and for a split second I think he will but then as quickly as he had grabbed onto me he frees my arm. The disappointment that floods me was a surprised feeling but I try and remind myself that his father, Drake, could be watching us right now and as much as I want it to not bother him, it seems like it does. As if to make it seem like he stopped me for a reason he reaches up and brushes my still messy hair out of my face, his fingers lingering as he does.

"You never told me where you went when you left me at the hospital." I sound out of breath, and I wonder for a moment why he is able to have this effect on me.

He turns his face from me then, watching the house as if looking for something. Drake, I think. "And I will but right now I have to deal with my dad." I take this as my queue and step away from him and into my car, shutting the door myself.

Cato snaps his head back to me, his eyebrows furrowed together in confusion and his eyes searching my face. He wants to say something and I can tell he's holding it back purposely. Starting the car I roll down my window. "Tonight." I say in a way that he knows there is no arguing. "You can tell me tonight."

"Alright, tonight then."

"At my house."

He flashes me one of his wistful smiles, "At your house." He agrees. I take my car out of park and am ready to drive away when he steps closer resting his palm on the roof of the car. "Wait, what time?"

"Whenever. I'll be there."

"I'll try not to make you wait long."

I don't bother looking in my review mirror as I drive away, I can still feel his eyes on me, watching as if to make sure I'm safe for as long as he can see me, as long as it's still in his control.

I wonder how Cato managed so well while having a father like Drake. But as I think it I can't help but shake my head. He thought himself to be just like him, and I had heard so as well on several occasions before truly meeting him. But it must all be an act, because the Cato I see, the Cato I'm with, that's not Drake. Drake, who has all the secrets. Drake who wants and reveals in peoples fear of him. Drake. A shiver runs down my spine. He's involved with Prim's accident that much was made clear today. But Jacob, who could he be? I run Drakes words over in my head, 'Unassuming assassin' he had said. It was someone I or anyone else would never think to suspect; but isn't it always in these cases? I run names and faces through my head people but none, not one is a Jacob or could be an 'unassuming assassin'.

Getting out of my car I shut my door a little more forcefully than usual in my frustration. I know nothing, and I just walked out away from Finn without any real answers.

Dragging myself inside my legs take me straight to Prim's room, before I even realize I had made the decision to check on her. She is just where I left her in bed and fast asleep.

Not wanting to chance waking her I slip out just as quietly as I came in. But as I turn to leave my face is inches from Sae and I jump back, startled slapping away her hand that had been outstretched towards me. Her faces falls and I feel guilty instantly, I didn't know that it was her, I was only acting. Before I have time to apologize she smiles shaking her head slightly as if reading my mind and saying, 'no need to apologize.'

"You've never been so jumpy in your own house, relax Katniss." Nodding, I mutter an apology anyway as I finish closing Prim's room door "I'm glad your home you have a visitor, she's been here for awhile. I told her you were just going to get your car so she insisted that she wait. I didn't take into account you left with Cato quite hastily." I can't help the heat that rushes to my cheeks, "when you didn't come back as quickly as I thought you would I tried to get her to leave you a message but she wouldn't, she is a tiny little stubborn thing."

I don't have to ask who she is talking about, Madge and Gale have been my only real friends for years and Madge is out of town so the only other person that it could be is Ana.

"She's in the library downstairs." she says after I have already started heading downstairs.

I can't help wondering why Ana would have come to my house unannounced. Or what she thought was so important she needed to wait so long for me to get back so she could deliver the message in person.

"Katniss!" She squeals, tossing the book she was skimming through in the chair next to her and runs across the room throwing her hands around my neck. "I've missed you!" she says while bouncing. This was always what I loved about Ana, her joy and bounciness and I can't help but smile.

"Hey Ana. I'm sorry you were waiting so long."

She lets me go then and waves her hand dismissively at me. "Oh I don't mind, when she told me you were with Cato, I mean, how could I mind waiting." she giggles when she sees me blush "I'm so glad you two are back together!"

I can only smile at her because neither of us have talked about what we were, what this was between us and that I know of neither of us has ever said that they were "together". But it isn't like we've even had time to sit down and talk about us or what we wanted, and I don't want to start now standing here with Ana.

"Ana, I'm sorry to be blunt, but did you need something?"

Her smile fades and she loses her bounciness becoming serious when she nods to my question. Seeing her like this, I see a little of her dad in her with the way she is holding herself now. "I've been snooping around and about when my dear daddy wasn't looking. He is remarkably tight lipped even when he didn't know I was listening." As if in the middle of a dream, Katniss remembers her dad saying that there was only one thing he and Drake had in common, and it was their complete trust in their children. "If you cannot trust your own children, the heir to everything you work for, then you have failed," he had said to me. But now it seemed they had both turned away from him and she couldn't help the pang of guilt that hit when she realized that it was all because of her. "But I did find out one small little detail that might help us find out who is behind all this mess with your little sister."

"You know it wasn't an accident?" I can't help the shock in my voice. I was sure that I was the only one who thought so besides Gale and Cato, and they only thought so when I brought it to their attention.

"Who doesn't? First your father's accident. Then only a few months later after it was revealed he left everything to you, you were belittled all over the web to seem incapable of the right he left... well now your sister. It's quite obvious to a lot of people that this was clearly no accident. The problem is proving it."

"I will."

"And I will help you," she interrupts. I can't help but look at this small girl, only fifteen, who looks so fragile but now with all her soft bubbliness aside, she is anything but weak. She is strong, determined; traits that I instantly recognize. "I couldn't find out much but I did find a name-"

"Jacob." This time it was my turn to interrupt her and she seemed surprised that I have already learned the name.

"Yes but not just that, it turns out that this particular Jacob...he works for you." She finishes reluctantly clearly unsure of how I will take this information. But I had already come to that conclusion with the way Drake had spoken of him. "Katniss-" She begins softly but I stop her from whatever comforting words she thinks I need right now.

"Let's go to my father's office, we can find a list of every Jacob that has ever worked for my father there."

We both turn to leave, Ana following me but I stop in my tracks when I see Sae in the doorway, her hand gripping onto the frame as if it's all that's holding her up and her face had gone white as if she had seen a ghost. "Sae?" I take a few steps towards her leaving only a few inches between us. My hand stretches out much like she does with me when she is worried. I can't help thinking it must be the idea of me going into my father's office after all this time, no one has gone in since we heard of his death and I know in some way it must be just as hard for her as is it for me.

It takes her a minute and I almost think I got it wrong, that something else was bothering her. I exchange glances with Ana and am about to say something when she inhales deeply, straightening herself back up. "I was checking to see if you needed anything."

I watch her for a second; if Ana weren't here I would ask her if she were alright, but because Ana is, Sae gives me a look telling me now is not the time. "No." I say "We should be alright. Cato should be coming, though. When he gets here send him upstairs, we'll be in daddy's office." She looks as if she wants to say something but decides against it and only gives me a sad smile while reaching up quickly pats the side of my cheek gives me a reassuring nod and leaves us.

"She really loves you." Ana says when we start walking again.

I smile, I've always known she did, but here recently, with everything that has happened, she shows her love for both Prim and I more freely. "Yeah, she does." Is all I say.

The office was at the top of the third floor, one of only three rooms up here, the others being a small open sitting area with a TV mounted on the wall and a bathroom. I had been trying to prepare myself the whole walk up here but my chest still tightens as I reached for the door making me pause.

"Uh, hey, where's your bathroom?" Ana shrugs as she asks trying to act like its nothing but I know what she trying to do and I'm thankful for it. I point to the door across the sitting area and she skips towards it with a high pitched thank you.

I take another minute, my hand still on the door handle, before I open it and walk in. There is a cold chill in the air and as I flip on the light I see the thin layer of dust that covers nearly every surface. It's just as he left it, I think as I run my fingers over every surface I pass causing a flood of memories wash over me. With tight painful breathing I fall into his chair in a cloud of dust and close my eyes, letting the memories take over me. Long nights working with me sleeping in the chair waiting for him, paper ball fights I started trying to lure him away from work, homework mixed with him teaching me little lessons of business every day after school, all of it. Every minute I remember and it's as if the memories alone bring life back to this room, the chill slowly fades and the dust floating in the air begins to settle. I take a deep breath and realize I don't have the urge to cry in here like I thought I would, instead there's a goofy smile on my face.

I hear the soft footsteps of Ana coming in so I straighten myself up and open my eyes back up. "Cato." I can't help the surprise in my voice when I see him walking towards me, not missing a beat he comes around the desk careful not to touch anything.

"I didn't mean to startle you, it's just she- Sae- said you were up here."

"Its fine I was expecting Ana. I thought you would be awhile."

"I was wrong." I turn my chair to face him just as he stops in front of me. "Ana is here is she? She never knew how to say away from trouble."

I reach out looping my fingers in his belt loops and pull him towards me, "Maybe it runs in the family." He bends over then cupping my face and pulling me to meet his, "I'm trouble?" I ask against his lips.

He laughs silently but I feel the vibrating bounce as he pulls back to look down at me. "The worst I've come across." and then he kisses me so quickly but so passionately I'm out of breath, my whole body begging for more when he pulls away. "And the best." he finishes in a caressing whisper against my ear.

"Eww, Cato, I love you and all but please stop." Cato reluctantly pulls away from me, straightening himself back up as I try and hide my blush for her.

"Always so interested in love but seeing it in action doesn't settle well." He says with a short laugh finally turning his attention to his sister.

"You're my brother! It's not supposed to settle well, that would be kinda sick."

They continue to banter back and forth and it's easy not to pay attention because the only part of the conversation I heard and the only thing going through my mind is the fact that Cato had said love. Love. He couldn't possibly think he loved her or she him, he was speaking in general, I finally tell myself.

"Alright, enough of this we need to get down to business." To my surprise it's Ana who has become quickly serious again and it doesn't take but a second for Cato and me to do the same.

Reaching over I turn on the computer and Ana joins Cato and I and hovers over it as it lights up to the main screen. Ana lets out a soft grunt in frustration as she sees the small empty box where the password should be entered.

"I can't even guess my dads password." she says under her breath.

I type the first thing that comes to my mind, Primrose, but of course that's not it, it's far too easy for anyone to guess. I can feel Both Ana and Cato's eyes on me so I look up from the computer and scan the room. When my eyes land on the small leather bound address books on the shelf among the other books I point to them. "Those books over there full of all his contact information. Look for a Jacob." Seeing there is more than more than one both of them go and retrieve them and slowly begin to go through them one page at a time.

Alone with my thoughts I close my eyes and try to think of a time when my dad may have hinted to me what his password would have been and there is only one clear memory that comes to me.

_"You're giving up?" He asked as I backed away from the computer._

_"You have to log on first before I can use your computer."_

_He shakes his head. "I forgot, but you should know it, I told you it before." He reaches over me then and very quickly types in his password "it's the thing that is our greatest strength and yet our greatest weakness."_

As if I'm coming out of a daze my eyes slowly open and my fingers being to type one word. Amare. And with that one word his computer logs on. "I should have known." I whisper to myself. He was always telling us to be careful with love, "it is the greatest feeling in the world and at times the worst, your greatest strength and yet your greatest weakness, love is a great and fragile thing, you must always be careful of what you do in the name of love." His words play in my head like he's standing in front of me saying them now.

I look up to get Cato and Ana's attention just as the door to the office creeks open revealing Sae looking even worse then she had downstairs. The office, I think to myself as I stand to come around the desk to meet her, it has to be the office. Sae didn't say anything for a moment she just stares as me freezing me in my tracks; I've seen this face before. Her hands were shaking and her eyes were a glossy red as if she were fighting the urge to cry. After a moment that she seemed to use to gather her courage she spoke, her hand going to her throat as her voice cracks at her own words.

"Katniss, I know who Jacob is...and so do you."

* * *

Hello hello! First of all I am K., CM's perfectly wonderful little sister who is great in every single possible way. She is out and about and asked me to stop by and post this chapter while I was over here at her place. She asked me to tell you all she was sorry this chapter has taken her so long and that she hopes you love it.

COME ON! LOVE IT?! Its a freaking cliff hanger! Who loves those?! Not me thats for sure.

Wanna know a secret...I spy on her computer a second finished chapter...should I post it?! I mean its done, and ITS AMAZING. (Yes I read it.)

I think in the spirit of the holidays and giving I will post it for you. She'll thank me later and you all should thank me now.

So you guys do your thing, read her cliff hanger chapter and review and tell her how much you hate cliff hangers and that she should never do them again.

Bye!

* * *

^And this is the reason why I will never ask my little sister to do anything again.

I'm only glad that FF allows me to edit from my phone.

Anywho, This is Part 1 of The Reveal of who Jacob is, without skipping to the next chapter that my sister posted early can you guess who he is?! I bet everything is becoming clear now!

Okay, I know how badly you have been waiting so go on head to the next chapter. :)

-CM


	26. The Reveal Part 2

The Reveal Part 2

**WARNING! This chapter has lemons. There aren't as many as the last time and if you choose you can skip over that part. I will place an * where it begins and ends. **

* * *

Cato was next to me before I had time to fall, his arms wrapped delicately tight around me keeping me from crumbling to the floor. My legs had given out as soon as Sae had spoken his name. My throat had closed up and as hard as I tried I just could not find my voice. I closed my eyes tightly to keep myself from crying. _I would not cry. I would not cry over him. Over that traitor. That backstabbing scum. I won't allow it. _

Slowly Cato lowers the both of us to the floor and when our knees hit the cold hard wood my body slacked against his, my head laying against his collar bone and after a few short seconds I let my eyes fall open.

Staring at the ceiling I could see movement out of the corner of my eye, Sae and Ana coming closer I realize but I look at neither of them. "Katniss," the way he says my name I know it wasn't to console me but to bring me back. When that doesn't work he brings his head down, his cheek lays against the side of my head, his lips pressed against my ear and he speaks to me so quietly that only I can hear him.

I nod at his words and slowly then all at once I'm able to breathe again. With his hands helping to steady me I stand back up taking in one last deep breath. Sae is in front of me and Cato steps away letting her take me in her arms. "I'm fine." I quietly assure her. Her embrace doesn't last long and I have a feeling she only lets me go because I've let my hands fall back to my sides. "I should have known."

"You had no way to." raising her hands again she acts like she wants to reach out and bring me into another hug but she drops them, deciding otherwise.

I want to tell her she's wrong, that I should have known, that I have known his name all this time my brain just didn't put all the pieces together. Subconsciously I didn't want to put the entire puzzle together. 'The truth hurts.' I've always heard and right now that saying couldn't be more right.

_Fiddling with my braid I brace myself for a lecture I'm about to get because I was sent home from school for hitting a boy making fun of Madge. I already knew the lecture I was going to hear by heart but that didn't make it any easier. Standing in front of his office door now, I can't help but imagine the disappointed look on his face. _

_The door is shut but the voices from the other side stream out in low scolding tones. At least I'm not the only one in trouble today, I think. _

_Stepping closer I press my ear against the door._

_"...you are my eldest and dearest friend Jacob; I hated to hear of your involvement with him. Like I have already said, I have done what I can to dissolve the matter out of kindness. A kindness most would not show you. But I know you well, my friend, and I know this was but a small mistake on your part that I am more than certain you won't make again."_

_"Of course, of course not. I cannot apologize enough for this mess I have caused."_

_"I have no need for anymore apologies; one is enough if it is given in sincerity."_

_"I would never apologize if it were not sincere."_

_"Good. Now Jacob, if you will, I have a family matter I need to deal with."_

_"Yes of course, and thank you again, Cole." _

_And with that I scurry away from the door trying to act as if I have just arrived. _

_It's only been seconds when the door swings open "Hello Katniss, You father is waiting for you."_

_Not even bothering to think why my dad had called him Jacob, I just drop my head in embarrassment as I stalk towards the room, "Thanks Boggs." I mutter as I pass him. _

Just as I'm about to tell her that I knew his name just as she did the door bells chime causing all of us but Cato to jump. My eyes dart to Sae silently asking her if she was expecting anyone. She shakes her head just slightly and then turns to go down stairs just as a voice echoes through the house. "Hello?"

I can't help the gasp that escapes me, I had forgotten all about him. "Gale." Sae's head has snapped back to me clearly not knowing what to do.

I'm moving before I have decided to move but Cato grabs my arm before I am out of his reach. "We can't be sure of where his loyalty lies, Katniss," his voice is full of remorse but his face is strong and serious with the smallest hint of worry. I nod and he releases me, letting his fingers linger as I walk towards the door.

"Stay in here." is all I say when I leave.

I make my way quickly down the stairs, the whole time making sure I have myself pulled together.

He's just coming out of the kitchen when I come off the stairs, "Gale, I didn't know you would be coming by."

He smiles at me and then lets his eyes wander behind me "You're not with Cato?" he asks like he expects Cato to come following me down at any moment.

"I took him home." I say crossing the room to him. It's not entirely a lie but it still hurt to say it to him and I can only hope he can't tell. He nods smiling and then his eyes dart around the room as if he is still looking for something or someone, "Are you okay?"

His eyes come back to mine when I ask, the crease between his brows relaxing. "What, oh, yes, I'm fine." He turns his attention to fidgeting with the vase on the table next to him he adds "I never got a chance to ask you what information you got out of Finn."

I watch him for a short moment, and wait for him to look back at me but he doesn't. "I never told you his name."

He turns back to look at me then the crease returning between his brows his eyes sad, "I found him for you Katniss, of course I learned his name." I can hear the hurt in his voice but there's something else too. He sounds defensive and I don't know if it because of what I just implied or because of something else, something much worse.

"Right," I run my hand over my eyes and brush my hair out of my face. "Sorry, long day." I say in a way of explaining my dullness

Again his eyes search the room and my stomach turns knots wondering what he could be looking for. "Let's go sit somewhere so we can talk."

"Gale, it's already been a long day. Thankfully I have Prim is safe in her room, and I intend to keep her there until I figure everything out, and I do want a chance to talk about all this but I'm exhausted. Can we talk tomorrow?"

"Katniss-" he starts but stops himself, his voice that had been low and drawn out had so quickly become urgent. But as fast as it came, it was gone. "Yeah, of course, tomorrow is fine. You should get some rest."

I smile up at him as he turns to leave and follow him out, intending to lock the door behind him. Once on the front door step he looks out at the circle drive and I follow his gaze.

"Who's here?" he questions. I can't help but be thankful that Cato decided to drive a different car over here today as I look at the two small red cars in the drive.

"A few of Prim's friends, I'm surprised you didn't run into one of them in the kitchen, they've been eating since they got here."

He nods with a small half smile and walks out to his car, his hands tucked tightly in his pockets. Opening his door he pauses and turns back to look at me, "You know-" he starts but I know what he is going to say before he says it. It's the kind of thing that happens when you know someone for as long as Gale and I have known each other

"Yeah, I know."

He doesn't finish then, just hangs his head and gets in his car and I shut the door so I don't have to watch him drive away.

Numbly I walk back upstairs, my mind seeming to be separate from my body. When I walk into the office everyone is just where I left them, Sae next to the door and Cato and Ana behind the desk. "No one is to say anything. I want every single piece of dirt there is to find on him. I want to make sure there is no way he can get away with this or anything else he may have done and I know just who can do that." The venom in my voice can't be hidden nor do I want to hide it.

"Katniss, don't, he's nothing more than a drunk now." Of course Sae knows who I'm talking about having worked with my family for nearly 20 years now.

"Daddy trusted him and so will I." There is an edge to my voice that wasn't meant to be aimed towards her. I sigh when I realized I have hurt her feelings but before I can apologize she walks past me leaving me alone with Cato and Ana.

Ana is already in front of me when I turn back to them, her arms pulling me into a hug before I have time to protest. "I'm sorry." She whispers.

I pat her back in hopes she gets I don't need all the hugging and eye Cato, who still hasn't moved, for some kind of help. He doesn't say anything or even shake his head, he just stands there watching me and if I didn't know him his look of serious concentration would probably frighten me. But I do know him and I am far from scared of him.

Ana lets me go and when she pulls away she places a small folded up piece of paper in my hand. "You call me, if you need anything." Tightening my fingers around the paper I nod and fight the urge to tell her not to speak to her father of this but somehow looking at her now I know that I don't need to say anything.

I don't turn to watch her go when she passes me, my eyes are locked back with Cato's.

"Thank you." Is the first thing I think to say but not the only thing I want to. I can't help but worry about him too, because he knows just as well as I do of his father's involvement with all this.

He steps around the desk then, seeming to glide across the floor to me. "You don't need to thank me. I was only reminding you how strong you are, I did not give you your strength."

_"Katniss," he had said. "I won't allow you to go out like this, Katniss. This is what Jacob wants, what Boggs wants to happen but __**you are not weak**__, he knew that, your dad, he knew how strong you were and so do __**I**__. __**Don't you dare**__ let this put out your fire. Do you hear me? __**Get up**__." _

"Well thank you, for reminding me."

"Who are you going to for help? You know I will help you." and he is right, I did know, I knew there was no reason to even ask him.

"Haymitch."

Cato's eyebrows furrow together in confusion "He's retired."

"For me, for our family, he'll come out of retirement." I remember Haymitch from my childhood, he was around a lot, even when he wasn't working for my dad. He was like family. But as my dad's death had wounded me, it had him as well in his own way. He retired then, and escaped in his bottle. "You can't tell Drake, he'll warn him." the words spill out and as I say them I feel the guilt rise up in me from having to ask this of him. Despite what his father has done however big the picture actually is, he is still Cato's father.

"I don't intend to and Ana won't either." This is his, choice I remind myself and the fact that both he and Ana will keep this to themselves for now should relieve me but it only causes my guilt to build.

"But he's your dad, and this all involves him too. You know just as well as I do that if Boggs goes down he will drag Drake down with him."

"I know." He steps closer to me then and as if my body is drawn to him I step closer to him as well leaving only inches between us.

I have to tilt my head back now to look up at him, and his face it still serious but there's a warmth about him in the way he is looking at me now. "And that's okay with you?"

He smiles a little then and his hand comes to my face, his fingers are like feathers against my cheek until I press my face into his hand. He steps closer to me then, "What about you?" his soft voice fans over my face. The way he's looking at me, it's as if he thinks I have been physically hurt, his eyes searching me for some invisible wound. I can't help my confusion and he sees it before I can ask what he means. "You have Prim safe, but what about you?" his hand slides to my neck then his thumb caressing the edges of my cheek.

"I'll be fine." _I have you_, I think silently.

"Katniss-" he starts but I don't let him finish, I'm up on my toes kissing him. His lips are still at first, clearly surprised, but it doesn't last long. His lips begin to move against mine, his hand pulls my head into him deepening our kiss and his other arm wraps around me pulling me tight against him where I seem to fit perfectly. The way he holds me so tightly and yet so gently like he's afraid he's going to lose me makes my heart hurt. I want to tell him he shouldn't worry about me, that I'm fine and that he won't ever lose me, but I don't. I only hold onto him just as tightly. I have to force myself to pull away from him and when I do his forehead rest against mine, both of us catching our breath.

His eyes are burning with the same hunger that mine are, so without saying another word I turn taking his hand that was still gripping onto my back and lead us out of the office and down to my room. He doesn't say a word and just lets me take him.

Walking in my room he shuts the door behind us with a soft kick. I stop in front of my bed and pull him so that he is in front of the bed and facing me now. There's a short pause between us, a charge of energy exchanged and then we're kissing again. I step towards him, making him fall back onto the bed bringing me down with him. "Wait." he says against my lips. It's hard to, with my knees on either side of his waist and his fingers digging into my hips. It's hard to break away from him again but I do, I pull back, letting my hands rest on his chest to hold me up. "I don't want you to think that I'm cold hearted or something for letting my father going down in all this." I don't know what I was expected him to say but it wasn't this and my body stiffens above him at his words. "I loved him, hell I idolized him for as long as I can remember. I did anything he asked without question; I was the mirror image of him…except for one thing." He stops taking a breath as if what he's saying is nothing he anticipated saying to me right now. "You." When he says this, his hands move to hold onto mine at his chest. "When he messed with you and expected me to be able to do the same, I didn't think twice about walking away from him and everything he stood for." His hands were on my arms now slowly making their assent up."I know him and when he wants something he goes to great lengths to get it. I won't chance something happening to you." His hands move then, so fast, and he's holding my face with an almost worried urgency. His eyes are full of something, something I can't name, something that lights a spark inside me and engulfs me in its beautiful flames. "I love you, Katniss." He said it, each word laced with its meaning, its power knocking the breath out of me. He loves me. _Me_. I want to ask how or why but I have no voice, his words have stolen that from me.

He's watching me, unsure and full of doubt, waiting for me to say something. Waiting for me to say I don't love him. A sharp pain hits me then when I realize he thinks that I don't love him, that I couldn't love him. I want to tell him he's wrong but my thoughts are racing too fast for my words to catch up to them. So I kiss him. I kiss him in a desperate passion hoping that since my words have failed me that I can at least show him.

He's reluctant at first, and I know it's because this is not what he wanted or expected. I pull his hands away from my face and wrap them back around me and press myself against him. He comes back to me then, all of the meaning for his words thrown into every move he makes.

Tightening his grip on me he rolls us over, with a whirlwind of speed and force, his lips never leaving mine. A moan escapes me and when it does he pulls away from me and quickly does away with his shirt and making quick work of mine as well. The sight of him like this only makes my breathing quicken but he gives me no time to recover, his lips graze my hip bone and then my ribs. His hand has worked its way up under me pulling the clasp of my bra apart.

My hands go to his hair with a gasp when he begins to massage one breast with his hand the other with his mouth.

_It's not enough_, my skin is on fire and this is not enough. My hands free his hair and with clumsy fingers I unbutton and shove both his pants and his boxers down. His mouth frees my nipple then, and much more skilled and much more quickly than I, he has me lying completely bare beneath him. My legs wrap around his waist then, pulling him back to me and I roll us again so that I am hovering above him. I know that he allowed me to do this, let me take control this time and know it won't last long so I act quickly pinning his shoulders down with as much force as I can manage and kiss him while I rock against him.

His muscles tighten under my fingers as they dig into his shoulders and I know it's because he wants control again, and I want him to have it but not yet. I pull back but he tries to come up with me thinking I understand, but with my hands still on his shoulders I shove him back down onto the bed. The groan that escapes him mixed with the look in his eyes causes me to crave him that much more. Not being able to hold back any longer I reach down, adjusting both him and myself, and fall onto him, throwing my head back with a relieved moan.

He's had enough then, he can't hold himself back any more, he needs the control and I willingly give it to him then, every bit of it.

I am his and he is mine.

"I love you."

* * *

OHMYGOSH! AREN'T YOU SO GLAD I DIDN'T MAKE YOU WAIT FOR THIS?! THIS IS MY FAVORITE CHAPTER EVER!

**THEY SAID THEY LOVE EACH OTHER! THEY SAID IT!** Oh and now we know that Boggs is Jacob, I will admit I didn't see that coming. Not sure if I like it or not.

ANYWAYS! **LOVE**! This excites me!

Pretty awesome Thanksgiving gift, RIGHT!

No need to thank me, just do your thing and be really excited in the reviews so CM doesn't get mad at me for posting this early.

BYE!

* * *

So much happened in this chapter, Cato being Katniss's rock, finding out Boggs was Jacob, and of course hot and steamy Catoniss. Oh and I cant forget the I love Yous now can I? So perfect I thought.

So were you surprised? Shocked? Boggs has always been Jacob, since I started this story so this wasn't just thrown in there, it was planned and you will be able to tell if you go back and reread and in the chapters to come more will be revealed when it comes to what and how he was thinking.

Leave me with your thoughts, and I apologize for my little sister, though, I think she has made quite a few of you happy with posting for me. regardless she won't be allowed to do it again. now I have to pick a new password. Lol

-CM


	27. Trust and Betrayal

Trust and Betrayal

* * *

My mouth is dry and I'm craving water but I can't bring myself to pull away from Cato. I'm almost certain he would wake up if I did leave, even if only for a moment, so I decide against it with my knees curled up pressing against his stomach and my forehead resting against his chest.

For as long as I could remember I always ended up curling into a ball while I slept. It was different though to wake up like this with Cato's arm wrapped around me, holding me in my little ball, tight against him. Everything about our position says I should feel uncomfortable but oddly enough I don't think I have ever felt more safe, secure and loved.

I decide to try and just go back to sleep, allowing the sound of Cato breathing to relax me, when I realize that his breaths are uneven and controlled like he's trying to be very still. It's hard not to smile. Knowing he's awake now I stretch out my legs and tilt my head back so I can see him. His eyes are tired but somehow bright and one of the corners of his mouth begins to turn up in a half smile. I wonder how much he actually slept or if he even slept at all.

There's a look in his eyes, worry maybe, and I'm reminded quickly of everything that's happened and everything that still needs to happen. "We need a plan." I smile because this has become like his super power, reading my mind, and it's frustrating trying to figure out how he's able to do it so easily.

He is right though, we do need a plan, waiting around too long cannot be doing us any good. But the only idea I can come up with that doesn't involve me actually putting my hands on both Boggs and Drake I'm not sure he will agree to. "I might have an idea."

His face falls then his eyes narrowing slightly, as he searches my face. "I don't like that look Katniss."

"I think we should talk to Gale, he might know something." I feel his muscle tense and I realize that the two of them together is not a good idea so I quickly correct myself. "I think _**I**_ should talk to Gale."

"It's his dad, Katniss. And the way he acted when he came and saw you yesterday, I don't trust him." I can't say that I'm surprised that he had somehow been watching us, but even so I don't like that he thinks I couldn't handle myself.

"But I do trust him." I say pulling away from him. I'm conflicted, Gale has been my best friend for years and the one time I let myself believe I couldn't trust him it felt so wrong. He could be like Cato, he could be choosing to not work alongside his father and somehow I believe that, even after how he acted yesterday.

The hurt that flashes across his face when I pull away from him is gone before I have time to react to it."Katniss-" he starts grabbing my arm before I'm able to get too far from him.

"Please Cato; I know I can trust him. It's Gale." To me that's enough, enough to defend him but I know for Cato it won't be.

He stops, watching me intently, and I can tell he is choosing his next words very carefully. "You love him." He finally states after a few seconds, in a voice that is tinged with sadness.

"Yes, he's my best friend." He lets me go then pulling away as if my words were poison. I hadn't meant to hurt him by it and had I known it would I probably wouldn't have answered that way. I crawl back to him then, watching his cautious eyes as I leave only inches between us. "You know the difference, in the love I feel towards him and the love I have for you, don't you?" There's something there in his expression and I realize that maybe he doesn't. He's only ever loved his family, I think, and now me. The thought of loving anyone else hadn't occurred to him, that or he just didn't allow it to happen.

It takes him a minute to digest what I've said, and when he does his hands find their way back to me again. With a devilish smile his fingers trace down my bare skin. "I'm the only one allowed to do this." he says with his voice barely a whisper. His hand moves back up my body while the other grips onto my butt while pulling me against him. "And this." he says against my lips. And then fisting both his hands into my hair he kisses me and like all of his kisses, I lose myself in him. When he pulls his lips away from me I'm spinning in disappointment. "And that." he says with the hint of a promise in his tone.

"No one else." My own promise filled words come out quick and breathy as if I just then remembered to breathe and maybe I did but I couldn't be sure.

"All mine." He says against my lips in an almost teasing manner. Just when I'm done with all this talking and am quite ready to drag him back under the covers the phone rings and popping our private little bubble bringing us back into the real world.

Reaching over I grab my phone of the bed side table and when I see its Gale I quickly answer. "Gale, I was just talking about you."

Cato makes a noise that's a cross between a grunt and a growl as he gets out of bed grabbing his clothes off of the floor on his way to the bathroom.

"So I didn't wake you?"

"Oh no, in fact I was hoping you would make time to come by so we can talk." There is a long pause on the other end of the line and I could only hope that I was right when I told myself I could trust him. "Yeah, give me half an hour."

I have to restrain myself from letting out a sigh of relief. "Great, see you in a few."

I put my phone back on the table as I throw my legs out of the bed knowing I shouldn't want so badly to stay there wrapped in sheets and Cato. When Cato reemerges from the bathroom he goes straight in to the mess I call my closet.

"He better keep his hands to himself."

"Don't be like that."

"Don't pretend you don't like it." I can hear the smirk in his voice and I roll my eyes at him then even though he couldn't see.

"I'm not pretending." I say standing up to go get my clothes but Cato smiles coming out of my closet with a pair of jeans and a shirt. I've always known that Cato liked control, not in the same manner of his father but still he liked control, so I don't tell him that I hate the shirt he picked out and that the jeans he chose were too tight last time I had worn them, I just take them when he hands them to me and quickly get dressed.

We go downstairs and as my eyes search for Sae I realize that Cato didn't join me at the kitchen breakfast bar when I sat down. "Where are you going?" I ask because I know that look he's giving me and I think I may hate it as much as he seems to hate it.

He rounds the bar and pours me a cup of coffee and without adding anything to it, sets it down in front of me. "To see my dad." Vague. He has always been good at keeping things from me, good at telling me what he thought I should know and nothing more.

"There's something you're not telling me."

"You trust me." It wasn't a question, it was a statement but I still answered like it was a question anyways.

"Yes."

"Remember that. No matter what, you have got to hang on to that." His eyes were dark and serious and the way he was holding himself and talking, I knew he had a plan and whatever it was, he didn't like it. "Promise me."

And without a pause for even a breath or a second thought I do just that, "I promise."

He smiles then and I'm taken back by how forced it seems but I don't say anything. With a quick kiss and a stolen drink of coffee that's much too hot for me he leaves me sitting alone in my kitchen wondering what in the world he's up to.

I sit there alone for only a few minutes before Sae comes in looking better than she did yesterday but still not her best. She smiles and asks if I want anything to eat and even though I tell her no, she makes me eggs with toast anyways.

I sip my coffee and allow my mind to wander when I hear the doorbell chime. Sae mutters something about that surely must have woken Prim and then looks at me, as if to ask if I knew who would be stopping by right now. "I asked Gale to come over." I say standing up and taking one last sip of my coffee. "Give that to Prim," I say pointing to the plate she just finished making for me. "She'll be awake now and she needs to eat."

She watches me for a second and I think she is about to force me to sit down and eat until the doorbell rings again. I straighten my shirt as she smiles at me. "You look so much like him right now, so determined." Her words touch me making my eyes sting, but I don't cry and I don't say anything, with a nod she knows all too well I turn and leave.

I am determined. I am determined to talk to Gale to prove not only to Cato but to a small part of myself that he can be trusted. I am determined to find answers and reasons, and most of all I am determined to bring both of them down. Drake and Boggs, and I will stop at nothing to do it.

Gale looked as if he had slept in his clothes and just rolled out of bed and came straight over. And maybe he hadn't slept at all because not only did his eyes show how tired he was, his whole body did as well even with him trying to hide the fact. "Hey, sorry it took me so long."

"It's fine. Let's go upstairs." I move out of the doorway and he comes in closing the door behind him and it's only then that I notice the briefcase he's carrying and wonder only momentarily why he needs it now. A part of me wants to joke about how this feels, walking to dads office to talk about what we've done wrong, familiar because me and Gale though always good in the public eye were quite the trouble makers when we were home. Dad never really punished us, just scolded us to make it look better to my mother I suppose.

Walking into the office I notice that it still has a chill but I ignore it and walk to sit in one of the two chairs across from the desk. Gale is beside me sitting before I am even settled in my seat. I don't waste any time and I just start talking. "You wanted to know what I found out from Finn and I can honestly tell you that I only got one thing, a name." He watches me not looking surprised, only a hint of worry flickers across his face. "Jacob." I finish. He sits there as if holding his breath so I continue a little further. "I know who Jacob is Gale."

There is a short silence while he looks like he's preparing himself. "Katniss," he starts finally but then pauses as if to make sure this is what he wants to do.

"The truth, I want the truth." He nods and the act of not being tired dissolves as he begins talking again.

"You have to believe me, I didn't know until that day at the hospital. My dad, he called, asked where I went, I told him of course because I've always told him everything and there was no reason for me not to think I couldn't trust him then. As soon as I told him though, he went from relaxed to frantic in a split second. He told me then that I needed to make sure to get you away from Finn before you got anything out of him. I was so confused, but..." and I could see that he was and still is to an extent as he shook his head. "He's my dad, Katniss, I had to trust him. I've always trusted him. So have you."

I think back to the hospital then, coming out of the hospital room and seeing Gale who had paled and looked shaken. "That's why you looked so upset."

He nods, "I didn't want to leave you there with Cato, he looked like he was up to something, but I had to. I went straight home after leaving you, he met me there and told me what he said was everything, but somehow I knew, I just knew he wasn't telling me everything. Then he asked me to help him. I was shocked when he asked me not only to keep you away from Finn and Cato but to try and persuade you to believe it really was an accident." He stops again catching his breath and trying to calm himself down.

I feel sick. I know it's not like I just learned of Boggs' betrayal, but to have Gale confirm it to me is almost too hard to take. I worry that he believes Boggs, his own father, but I say nothing and let him continue. "I believed him, trusted him, so I said I would help. I came over yesterday to do just that." My stomach sinks and I feel like I'm about to pass out. Maybe I was wrong about Gale.

He's quiet, waiting for me to say something, bracing himself for me to lash out but I swallow attempting to keep my calm. I simply ask, "Is that what you're here to do now?"

"When I was leaving yesterday, do you remember, you told me the cars in the drive belonged to Prim's friends. I knew you were lying and I was about to call you on it but you knew, you knew, I could tell by the look on your face," his voice cracks and he stops for a second to get himself back together. "I've never felt so much disgust for myself than right then in that moment. You didn't trust me anymore and how could I blame you after what I had come there to do." He stops again shaking his head slightly with his fists balled so tightly his knuckles are white. "I drove for hours trying to figure out what to do." Gale hangs his head is shame and for the first time in our lives an uncomfortable silence falls between us.

Watching him right now I can feel the guilt and self-loathing coming off of him in waves and I don't know what to do. Part of me wants to comfort my friend and fix what is broken but right now I can't. I still need him to tell me he wasn't working against me. I knew how much that was to ask and I couldn't imagine how hard it must be to have to make that choice. A part of me might understand if he stood alongside his father, but even so I hoped that wasn't the case. "What did you decide?" I ask after the silence becomes unbearable.

Grey meets grey as he raises his head and looks at me, really looks at me. Its then I notice his fists unclenching and he reaches down to retrieve the briefcase he brought with him. "I went home and told my dad what he wanted to hear. That I talked to you and convinced you that Prim's accident was just that, an accident. He was so proud." He stops but only for a short second, and he looks as if he might actually throw up. "He made a mistake then. He typed his password right in front of me. He showed me his plans for us, for Everest Enterprises and I just sat there with a painted smile and listened. He told me truth then about everything, his real goal, and how close he was to getting it and that now with my help he was sure it was a sealed deal." His hands with a slight shake start to unsnap the briefcase in his lap. "Prim, she's like a sister to me, you know that, and it took everything in me not to punch him when he told me what really happened. He told me everything he was trying to do, that it was for your own good, for the good of the Everdeen name." He shakes his head; unsure, maybe confused, or even both. "He was supposed to love her like I do, love you like… but when he told me all this, I didn't see love at all, I saw hate and jealousy. I got him drunk, told him we were celebrating." His sick look has faded and now he just looks pained and sad. "When he passed out I went back to his office and copied everything. Downloaded all of his files, printed all of his history, everything." He opens the briefcase then showing me its contents. "I got… everything." He finishes his voice faded.

I didn't know what to say. When we had first started talking, even though I had come in to this thinking I could trust him, I doubted him. And now here he was sitting in front of me quite obviously having an internal battle of conscience as he hands over everything that could put his father behind bars. "Gale-"

His stops me, his voice urgent as he still grips the side of the open briefcase in his lap as if it's all that defines him. "God Katniss, I'm so sorry. Please…please you have to know how sorry I am."

"Gale-" I begin again but again he interrupts me.

"I understand if you never forgive me for what I almost did to you, for what my _father_ has done to you. I don't deserve your forgiveness."

"Gale!" I raise my voice just enough so he might stop and actually listen to what I have to say. _"I'm_ sorry." He looks so confused, not understanding why I'm the one apologizing to him so I reach out and pry one of his hands from the death grip he has on the briefcase and squeeze it between both of mine. "_I'm_ sorry you had to do this that you had to make this… this choice."

He smiles at me then, it's a small smile, but a smile nonetheless. "It was an easy choice." He closes the case with his free hand and then brings it to join our interlocked hands clutching onto me almost as tightly as he had been the briefcase only moments ago. "When I saw your face yesterday and when he told me the truth about Prim, the truth about everything... it was an easy choice."

"That doesn't mean that it's right, you shouldn't have had to. None of us should have had to go through any of this."

His eyes are locked on our hands, like it's the only thing keeping him here right now, and when he finally does say something it's but one sad word. "Yeah."

* * *

Guys, I'm sorry this has actually been done for three days…I just kept forgetting about it. Usually you all don't make it so hard to forget because I get reviews and PMs asking me to please update. It's okay though, here it is!

So what do you think Cato is up to? Has he got you worried? And Gale? How do you feel about him now? Though you won't get to read about it, in my mind Gale struggled really hard with good and evil. To have to choose between your family, the only part of his family he has left I might add, and the person you're in love with, is not something that would be an easy situation for anyone. It literally killed part of him to learn the truth about his father and then to have to betray him to do what was right. Gale won't be the same Gale anymore, he's broken and the one thing that might be able to fix him isn't his to have. And right there at the end when he's concentrating so hard on their hands, he knows that more than anyone then, and it breaks him just that much more. Poor poor Gale.

Alright leave me with your lovely thoughts that I have missed as much as you miss regular updates.

Next chapter coming soon, promise!

-CM


	28. Inside Cato

Inside Cato's Head.

* * *

The look on her face when I told her I was coming here told me she knew I was up to something. However, she didn't ask and I'm glad she didn't because I wouldn't have told her. I knew that what I was about to do would only stay between my father and I for so long, and then it was only a matter of time before she began to doubt me again. I hated it, it took so much to convince her that I wasn't the bad guy and now here I was going and being just that.

Ana is where I expected her to be when I got home, laying across the couch in the main living room holding a book up over her head reading out loud in French. If I were in the mood I would tease her about reading an English book in French and for the way she is reading but I don't have time nor am I in the mood to banter with her.

"Ana, I need your help."

She stops mid sentence, bringing the book down and sitting up so she can see me. "Anything."

This was Ana, the girl that was so sweet, so full of energy, and yet there was a serious side to her and I rarely saw it, but it was as much part of her as her bounciness. I sat next to her and quickly and quietly told her what I had planned and what I needed her to do.

She wasn't sure at first, she even began to attempt to talk me out f it, but I knew and she knew that we didn't have many options or much time. So, finally, she reluctantly agreed.

She isn't too pleased that I've kept this from Katniss and that I have asked her to as well so when she gets up to go she tosses her book angrily to the now empty spot next to me and storms out of the room.

I wait for only a second before I stand up myself. I know that right now Katniss is with Gale and I can see from the way he acts with her, the way he looks at her, that he loves her. And I use that as my fuel as I pick up the decorative vase next to me a throw it across the room. It feels good, it always has, so I picked up the next closest thing to me and smashed it at my feet. _Not enough_. I push the table out of my way with so much force that it flips on its side causing the pictures and small pieces it's cluttered with to all shatter on the floor. Then I lost myself, not even seeing what I was picking up, in my tantrum and it felt good. The sound of things shattering, voices of no importance calling for help, it all mixed together in the feeling as I continued to destroy the living room.

Seconds, that's all it feels like that has passed but I know that can't be right when I hear him over everything else. "This is why we have a gym, son." It brings me back and I can see the room in shambles, the cleaning lady standing mortified in the corner and my dad standing only a few feet from me speaking with a calmness that only he could portray.

I don't bother looking at what is in my hand as I just let it slide from my hands and crash to the floor.

"Cato, my office, now." His voice only raises when he speaks my name and he doesn't need to say anything more, I straighten myself up and walk past him. "And you clean this up." he says to the maid with annoyance as if she knew she should already be cleaning and he shouldn't have to ask in the first place, and she should know having worked here for so long.

Ana darts from around the corner her breathing heavy like she had run to get here. Looking around the room her face turns from worry to horror by the time I am walking past her. "Cato?" I catch the twitch of her fingers and I speed up my pace to get past her knowing very well she wanted to reach out to me then.

"Luciana my dear, forgive your brother, you know how he can be when he doesn't get his way." He speaks to her the way he has always spoken to her like she were the rarest of creatures and even the smallest mistake in wording and tone would destroy her forever.

By the time she responds to him I'm too far to hear what she says to him but I catch the hitch in her voice as she does speak and I know I'll have a few minutes before he continues to follow me.

When I get to his office I swing the door open and can't help but smile when it bounces off the wall. _Well there goes my few minutes_.

Grabbing the closest and what seems to be the smallest thing in the whole office I spin around and throw it at the door, watching it shatter and fall to the floor just as my father steps into the doorway. "That bitch!"

Although to me the words are like acid in my mouth but they don't faze him, he steps around the larger of the pieces on the floor and closes the door. "Ah, so this is about the girl. Katniss." He turns back around then, studying me "Did you honestly think running around with her would change her or you for that matter?"

"I'll teach her." I just have to spit it all out, I refuse to give myself a second to react to his words because if I were to, I would give myself away and it would only do more damage.

"Calm yourself down boy you won't achieve anything acting like that." he gestures back towards the mess of glass on the floor but I don't bother looking.

If there is one thing that my father doesn't do, it's lose his temper. He's restrained, and calm, and never makes it seem as if he is in control of everything that happens around him. And with time I had learned to do the same, but this was different.

"I should have just taken my queue and she would be the sorry one."

"Yes it was a shame you didn't take control the way I had hoped when the article came out. I thought at first you did not catch my clue but when you had the article removed when you came home I knew that not to be true." And it's true; as soon as I got back home after dealing with my father and Ana I went and made the site take it down along with everything else they had posted about her. I had done that for her, knowing she never had the chance to see it and in hopes she never would but I wasn't fast enough it seems. "Then of course you had the audacity to stand before me in this very office and refuse your family because of her." The urge to say something to defend myself is overwhelming but I know better than to interrupt him when he is speaking. Instead I hold his gaze watching him just as closely as he was watching me, a skill I learned from him. I could tell from the way he held himself, the way his hands moved as he spoke, the way his eyes gleamed that even though he took this all very serious he looked to be pleased with me having stood up to him and then coming back and admitting I was wrong. "Women," he continued, "are not as delicate as they lead us men to believe, my boy." Reaching over he slaps my shoulder, "Now enough of your sulking, there is still time to make this work and in the end she will indeed pay if that is what you truly wish."

He goes to his desk then turning his back as I speak up, "If it's the last-"

"No need for all the dramatics." He waves his hand dismissively at me as he sits in his chair. He watches me with a tilt of the head and I know he's got a question dancing on his tongue. "Tell me, what did she do?" He asks after only a few moments with honest curiosity.

I don't have to think, "Gale." His name tastes rotten in my mouth and the way I have spoken it so quick yet so drawn out letting my despise for him seep through gets a smile from my father.

"Ah, I should have guessed. I walked in on the two of them, the morning after she returned home, in her office." I should have guessed he would say something, make it seem even worse, but even if Katniss had left me on bad terms she wouldn't just run into another man's arms, not like he's suggesting, not Katniss. "It seems she didn't have any feelings for you even then. She was using you I'm guessing." I finally sit then and when I do my legs feel like weights trying to pull me to the floor. "I hope you have learned your lesson, Cato, because I have worked too long and too hard on this for it to fall out from under me because of a mere teenage girl, and with you finally thinking clearly things may just be coming to a head."

"I can still get close to her." I suggest but when I do he shifts his head jerking ever so slightly in a way that someone who didn't know him well might have thought they'd just imagined it, but not me, I saw it and I know right then that my plan B has failed just as I had thought it would even though I had hoped I could pull it off. My father though, he's much too smart for all this and he won't chance me screwing things up for him again.

"Oh, I imagine you can, but that won't be necessary. You see, Jacob has confirmed that his boy Gale has her in his own grasp and keeping her away from you is one of the few things he swore he could do." I have to force myself not to react to this news. I knew when I left that she was going to meet him and I knew how strongly she seemed to trust him and I can only hope that she was right about him and that my father is merely trying to get the right reaction out of me and I plan on giving him just the one he wants.

"But father, you must let me do something; I want to play a role in this."

"You have lost that chance Cato. You will stand by my side and watch as Katniss signs over everything to me without even knowing. Then, my son, then you can act. I intend to give you majority control. Imagine how much stronger our name, our influence would be not only here but around the world."

"But I've seen her, talked to her, she is more determined now than ever. How will you get her to give it all up?"

"Gale, of course. She trusts him and Jacob. With her mind cleared of conspiracy theories now she won't be second guessing the two of them. They will plant a seed amongst other things and in a short month's time all this will be done and over." His wicked grin is one I know too well, he thinks he has won already but I do not doubt that he has several back up plans should this attempt at Everest Enterprises fail. It's only then that I begin to wonder what has driven him so long and so hard to get his hands on it in the first place.

The corners of his mouth fall then when he begins to speak again. "If you want your... _pet,_ that is when you can have her when she is nothing, but on the understanding that you are never again to bring her in this house."

I'm just about to open my mouth to add to the list of things I will hate myself later for saying but the high pitched double ring of my phone stops me. With an approved nod from my father I reach in my pocket to grab it already knowing who it will be. I think of only one person when I scrunch my face up in disgust as I forcefully smash the ignore button.

A triumphant light beams from my father at the sight of this, "She is still calling you?" he inquires. Watching him take pleasure in this, thinking he was right and that she was nothing more than any other girl has proven to be much harder than I had ever imagined but for her, in the end, it will be worth it.

"There was only one reason she wanted me and I should have guessed it from the beginning."

"Ah," He says with a chuckle. "Well that I have to say is an accomplishment my boy; I only wish you had pictures or videos." Shrugging he relaxes back into his chair, "But you were too invested in her to think of such insurance. It's a shame, something like that would have done us some good."

I can't bring myself to say anything or to even open my mouth at his words and if his own phone did not begin to ring at that very moment all of this would have been for nothing. He would have known it then, he would have seen what I was trying to do.

He doesn't even look to see who it may be that's calling so I know then that it is an important call, one that he had been expecting. "If you will excuse me, Cato." He raises his hand gesturing to the door behind me. I do as I would have before Katniss; nod and leave without a word of protest, a son who follows his rules, just as he wants.

As soon as the door clicks behind me I storm down the hall my fists clenched at my sides to keep from breaking everything in my sight.

Slamming into the gym Ana is propped up against the wall next to the doors waiting for me. She knew I would come here but I wonder if she expected me so late and so angry because she jumps up from where she is leaning on the wall almost startled by the banging nose of the door as it slams shut behind me.

"Cato?"

"Leave." My throat is raw and my mouth dry as if I had been yelling for hours but it doesn't stop my voice from sounding any less demanding.

She steps in front of me then blocking my way refusing to let me pass till she has her say. "She'll understand, Cato, I know she will."

"I said leave, Luciana!"

Shocked, she stumbles backwards as if I had actually reached up and hit her and storms out of the room.

I don't turn to watch her go or even try to apologize for acting this way towards her. I find myself in front of the large black punching bag and I lay into it, no gloves, no wraps, nothing, I want to feel the pain that will come soon enough with each punch.

My head tells me I could do this for days but only after a few hours does my body tell me I can't keep up my brutal methods as my arms become hard to lift and my hands hard to move. One more hit. One more, I think to myself when I hear my phone ring with another call from Katniss that I just ignore again.

* * *

Alright no excuses will be made for the long wait for this chapter. It was suppose to be a Christmas gift but Christmas is long past so the ever wonderful Katie suggest we create a holiday for this chapter. There are only two, yes you read that right, **TWO** chapters left, so Katie says Adam came before Eve and this is the Eve of the finale chapter sooo… Happy Penultimate Chapter Adam! For this holiday I gave you **CATO POV**, you are welcome, I love you too!

Next chapter to come a lot sooner. Everyone tell Katie and Jennifer thank you because they are awesomely amazing.

Seriously, mad love to all of you for putting up with me!

-CM


	29. A Wise Man

A Wise Man

* * *

My eyes were glued to my phone. No matter what I did to try and distract myself, it didn't work. They seemed to wander to it of their own accord; like a moth to a flame, I felt drawn to check it in hopes of catching it light up. Unfortunately for me, it never did At least not ever with the name that I wanted to see most on my caller ID.

Cato was still ignoring my phone calls and I have yet to hear anything at all from him, no texts, not even an email. My eyes snapped shut as unflattering thoughts and images raced through my mind. He had been seen with Drake and as much as I tried to ignore the nagging voice in the back of my head telling me he was betraying me, it was becoming harder to fight the longer I did not hear from him. It had been two days and even though we were in the same city he was nowhere close and the twisting knot in my stomach grew as I couldn't help but agonize that there was a chance he wouldn't return to me at all.

I shook my head realizing thanks to my overactive imagination I was quickly becoming my own worst enemy and I simply refused to doubt Cato and his intentions. I knew I was worrying about something there was no need to worry about. He loved me, there was no imagining that, and there was no way to fake what he had said or the way he had always been. No, he would come back to me.

The look on his face when he had left me sitting in my kitchen, he had a plan._"Trust me,"_ he had told me. And I will. It was hard for me to admit to myself that I needed him here with me even if only for a moment, hell at this point I would settle for a quick phone call. No matter how hard I had tried to fight it I slowly came to the realization that I just needed _him_.

I had been to an archery range three times in the last two days in an effort to stay occupied and keep my sanity. The instructors seemed unsure what to make of me when I first walked in and just bought the whole place out for the remainder of the day and asked to be left alone. But I didn't care what they thought, I just wanted to be alone and I needed this release. It was something I discovered the first time I ever shot an arrow: that archery was an extraordinary release for me, it relaxed me in a way that nothing else ever did. So I had been back there every chance I got, each time letting my hands choose the type of bow I would use that time. This morning my hands gripped a bow I hadn't seen there before, one the owners said was brand new and just placed out this morning. Every shot was perfect. It was like the bow itself was meant just for me, so I made sure it became mine. I was ready for an argument like when I first came in and cleared the place out but there was none, they seemed more than happy to let me buy the bow off of them.

The archery range I had chosen wasn't the nicest place in New York but it just felt right there. If I was being honest with myself, it was because the first time I went there they kept me coming back. I got a feeling that someone was watching me shoot but when I snapped my head around and scanned the room there was no one. Even though my heart sunk for a moment because I had truly hoped that it had been Cato watching me, I kept coming here because I wanted to get that feeling again.

"Katniss!" Haymitch's rather annoyed voiced pierce my thoughts bringing my attention back to him and I looked at the worn-out and overtired man sitting at the head of our dining table.

When he arrived yesterday morning he had asked me to give him some time with the information and I pointed him to my father's office and then told him he could stay in one of our guest rooms. It wasn't that I didn't trust him, but I knew if I kept him here I could keep him sober enough to where things might actually get done in a timely manner.

"Sorry," I muttered, because it wasn't the first time he had had to drag me out of my thoughts like that and it most likely wasn't going to be the last.

"Katniss, your father was not a stupid man and even though he forgave Jacob's disloyalty once, he was not so foolish as to forget about it. That is why when you left and signed over temporary rights to him he couldn't sell the company. He must have been thrilled thinking he'd actually done it and then smashed right back down into place when he realized that even from the grave Cole had out smarted him. Your father was always a wise man Katniss, but you already knew that. He created a clause, basically stipulated that you and only you could seal a deal of that magnitude weather it was you or anyone else that held the rights, only you had the real say. Boggs obviously didn't know that until he tried to make the sale. I would have paid some real money to see the look on his face when he realized it couldn't be done. But you said he was the one to contact you, I believe that it was only to cover his tracks that he called you to inform you of Drakes interest. Otherwise it would have gotten back to you somehow and you would have known the truth and that information getting back to you too soon would have ruined any chance of you actually signing anything. He needed to make sure you still trusted him." He doesn't try to hide the disgust on his face; he just downs what's left of his drink bringing the glass down with such force against the table that I think it might shatter.

His face softens some when he sees he's startled me. "We have all we need Katniss, handing this over is more than enough to have him convicted."

"And Drake?" It's the only thing that's comes out of my mouth since he began talking. All of what he said I knew, and I'm only glad that I had enough brains to keep the details about the selling rights to the enterprise to myself; otherwise I might have actually done something in the end that could have never taken back. Something that my family would never forgive me for, something I would have never forgiven myself for.

Haymitch begins to rub the back of his neck. "Well, Drake I'm afraid is going to be harder to pin."

He barely gets the sentence out when I push of my chair to my feet and yell, "But..!"

I knew I could argue better than this but the horror of what he just said and the way he had said it like I should understand and accept it has my pulse soaring and my thoughts scattered in an ugly mess. Jacob would be a win but there was no denying that Drake was the one who had started all of this to begin with and if he didn't go down then who was to say this wouldn't all happen again? No one could, because I got a taste of Drake already and I knew this wasn't something he planned on ever giving up on until he had exactly what he wanted, and then some.

"Listen sweetheart, I know, but he's never once slipped up in all the years I've known him and he's still just as good now as he always has been about making sure nothing can lead back to him."

I sink back into my chair; I actually think I'm going to be sick as I grip onto the sides of my seat. "Cato will help me." The words just spill out of my mouth before I even realized I had been thinking them let alone verbalizing them. How could I say that, I haven't heard from him in two - nearly three - days?

He stands looking on me with sad, sorry eyes and I want to yell at him to keep his pity to himself but I hold my tongue. "You are so sure of that boy, but tell me, have you heard from him, seen him even?" I say nothing as he comes to stand next to me, waiting for my answer and my silence giving him all he needs to go on. "I didn't think so. Look, just let go of him now before it's too late for your heart." He taps two fingers just above my heart so gently it's like he thinks the touch might cause it to hurt more than it already does. He drops his hand and passes me heading straight for the scotch; wasting no time in pouring himself another glass and tossing it back like it's nothing more than water.

I won't let anyone put anymore doubt in my head about Cato, it's bad enough my own mind has been trying to get the best of me. I know he loves me and that whatever is going on he is helping us. "Whatever you think about him, about Cato, you're wrong, I can promise you that."

He turns back to look at me then, stopping in the middle of pouring himself another glass full, "I hope for your sake that you're right," he looks at me with the same sad eyes he had only moments ago but this time I see no pity "because it looks like it's already too late for you." He flashes me a small smile and I know he must be meaning for his words to be understanding but I still see the hint of sadness in his eyes as he sets his full glass back down on the counter.

He's right; it is too late for me, it has been for a while. A long time before I told him I loved him, I was drawn to him, I trusted him from the start, and thinking about it now I can see how clearly that it was always too late for me.

Haymitch is across the room when I realize that I won't get a chance to face Boggs after knowing everything he's done. "I want to see Boggs. I…I mean Jacob." I blurt out even thought I have no idea what I would even say to him let alone know if I would be able to keep myself from killing him.

"Now sweetheart," he begins, no doubt ready to give me a number a reasons as to why this is a bad idea.

"No!" I cut him short getting to my feet again ready to argue my way through this. "I want to see him; I want to look him in the eyes and hear what he has to say to me."

He opens his mouth then quickly closes it as he watches me for a moment then gives me a curt nod, "Alright."

He turns and leaves me alone then, with the papers Gale brought over still strewn in an organized mess over the table. Looking at them make me sick but we need them so I fight the urge to throw them all on the floor and just walk out of the room myself.

Even though I want nothing more than to hear the sound of Cato's voice, I resist the urge to call him and I leave my phone in my pocket, deciding to go to the archery range for the second time today.

* * *

YAY! We didn't make you wait too terribly long! Aren't you happy?

So Katniss is shooting, which is and always will be part of who she is as a character (to me anyways) and Cato is with his dad (are you worried?) and Haymitch is here to make sure things run smoothly!

Now I know I said two chapters but this one got really long and I decided to just split into two chapters. So you get an extra chapter! This also means that I have another chapter ready for you but I'm feeling a tad bit evil and I'm going to ask for reviews before I post it. Oh yes, I did it.

Don't worry I'm not so horrible to say I want a huge amount of reviews and until I get them I won't post. I'm only saying reviews will help persuade me to post sooner. So lets say you guys go crazy with reviews like you use to, then instead of posting tomorrow or Saturday, I post later tonight. Either way though I'll have it posted before the end of the weekend

Alright all stop going on and on about being evil.

-CM


	30. Coming to an End

Coming to an End

* * *

The first three hours had gone by in a rush of air and arrows. The two after that seemed to pass with each breath I released. The room was bright but I knew that he had to be dark outside. Still, I gripped tight to the only bow I'd used since it found me. Amelia, one of the trainers, seemed bored with the errand of only retrieving all of my arrows once I had emptied my quiver, so when she returned with them in hand this time I promised I was nearly finished.

I would have already been done an hour ago but as I had let my bow drop to my side that feeling returned, the feeling of someone watching me, only this time I didn't turn to try and find the eyes, I kept my eyes forward so I could keep the feeling as long as possible. By then my fingers were tights and sore, my arms heavy but I let the idea of stopping leave my mind and let the feeling consume me as I began to shoot again.

Now, with the string pulled taut, arrow in place, just as quickly and as suddenly as the feeling came it was gone. I held my position not letting my arrow go to find its target over 25 feet away.

"Miss Everdeen? Is everything alright?"

Amelia knew me well enough by now when it came to my shooting, I never missed, not with this bow, and I never hesitated, not like this. Slowly, I let the string fall back into place and the arrow free from its notch. "I'm fine, Amelia, I'm just finished." I hand her the arrow and warm bow, ignoring the look of confusion on her face as I pass without saying anything else.

As soon as I'm home I curl up in my bed, where my thoughts of Cato always seemed harder to bare. But for first time since he left I don't toss, turn, or even have to fight to go to sleep, tonight sleep washes over me like a welcomed blanket.

"Katniss, you can't sleep all day."

My eyes open then quickly shut not having adjusted to all the light at Prim's words. She bounces on the side of my bed, "Haymitch is yelling at Sae because he wanted you up two hours ago but she won't let him wake you."

I sit up glancing at the clock across the room, 10:24. "I've never slept this late," I say it more for myself and Prim seems to know because she acts like she didn't hear me.

"Haymitch is making me go to Melody's house." Even if I weren't looking at her I could have been able to catch the pout in her voice. But I ignore it knowing that I've slept half the day and if Haymitch is getting Prim out of the house I should already be up and ready. He isn't wasting his time, he wants Boggs finished sooner rather than later and if I want to make sure he still gives me what I asked I shouldn't still be in bed.

"You haven't been to see Melody since you arrived home, it will be good for you to get out of the house."

"I know what you are up to. I know what _ALL_ of you are up to."

I smile kissing the top of her head as I get up, "Doesn't change anything. Make sure you're ready to go in thirty minutes." She huffs at me but doesn't object as she leaves me to get ready.

"It's about damn time, girl!" I walk into the kitchen to find Sae, feet planted in front of Haymitch waving her finger saying something I didn't catch because Haymitch spotted me before I could catch any of their conversation.

At his words Sae turns her frown turning quickly into a loving smile, "Hungry?" She chirps. I shake my head, I need coffee and she knows this because she nods and heads to the coffee maker before I have a chance to.

"Prim will be ready to go soon."

"I will personally be taking her to her friends, in which time Jacob will be asked to join you here." I nod, and he continues, "I'm not giving you any real time alone with him, eyes are on him Katniss, and as soon as he steps foot in this house, know that half of the Upper East Side force will be outside waiting for him." The thought of so many police officers outside my home makes me uncomfortable but I know this is Haymitch's way of making sure Boggs doesn't try to hurt me too. "You let him know that, do you understand me?"

I nod but the uncertain look in his eyes makes me voice my agreement. "I will."

"Sae will be close if he tries anything." For a moment I'm confused. He's so worried yet he's making sure he isn't here.

"You don't want to wait until you return from taking Prim?"

"He knows me Katniss; if he knows I'm here he will instantly know something is up and have time to make a run for it. He could get away. He thinks I'm retired, which I very much am I would like to add, and drunk somewhere in north Maine. I made sure that I arrived too early in the morning to draw attention, I haven't left and no one but you, Sae and Prim know I'm here, we have to keep it that way for as long as possible." He was right, he'd kept his being here very tight lipped but I had felt comforted by the thought that he would be here with me when I faced Boggs. And even though Sae still would be, I felt a little uneasy with the news that he wouldn't be. I don't say anything though. I can do this, and I have to believe that I can handle myself, and if not Sae and a parking lot full of police officers will be here.

Prim comes sulking into the kitchen announcing that she's ready, and with a kiss from Sae and a hug from me, she and Haymitch disappear through the door into the garage.

Sae and I sit in silence at the kitchen's breakfast bar as I sip my coffee. Only a few minutes after I finish my coffee the doorbell chimes through the house making Sae jump.

"I can answer the door, Sae." I insist but she shakes her head.

"We have to seem normal, dear. I will answer the door. You head on to the library." As we go in separate directions I remind myself to make her take time off after all this, she has been through just as much as the rest of us and still she remains strong and determined. Prim and I are lucky to have her, it is impossible to even try to imagine our life without her.

I had only been in the library for a few seconds when Boggs walks in behind me.

"Katniss, my dear." He crosses to me quickly with his arms outstretched, ready to embrace me in a hug as if he'd done nothing wrong at all. Startled by his closeness I take a large step backwards nearly losing my footing by my own quickness. My movement freezes him in his place his undoubtedly fake smile falling along with his reaching arms.

"Don't you dare." I hiss. "Don't you dare stand there and act like you care for me, for Prim, for my _DAD_!" I hadn't once thought about what I would say to him and in the moment these were the only words my brain was able to give me that I could use with restraint.

"Katniss-" he begins taking another step towards me his eyes showing a flicker of something I'd never seen in him before but somehow I knew I was getting a brief view of the real Boggs.

"I know everything!"

His foot stops in mid air and instead of coming towards me he takes a step back and his eyes look over his shoulder to the open door. "No point in trying to run."

He watches me for a second trying to see if I'm bluffing. He must see that I'm not because he straightens his back and squares his shoulders. "I always knew you had fire Katniss. Where your dad was wise you were fierce. I told Drake that it should have been you." He smiles then and he doesn't have to finish for me to know what he means but he continues anyways. "Your death would have broken your dad enough for everything to have gone smoothly. Ah, but Drake had a horrible grudge against your father, so my suggestion fell on deaf ears. He always thought it was my love for your father that had fueled my reasoning behind the idea, but I knew both you and Cole better than he ever would. _You_ would always be a problem only fixed with death." His voice is cold and ruthless only seeming to soften at the mention of my father's name but I don't let it distract me.

"What do you mean grudge? What could my dad possibly have done to him?"

"What always causes most men to do crazy things? Come on Katniss, you're smart." But I was confused. He was implying a woman, but my father loved my mother and there had never been another.

Frustrated that I hadn't been able to figure it out on my own Boggs continues, exasperated, "Your mother was always a beautiful woman. Loved by two men. She chose your father, of course."

"And Drake sought out revenge on my father for that? After all these years?"

"It was not Drake who also loved her Katniss; it was his brother, his only family. In the end, your mother chose your father over Oliver and it left him devastated in a way that surprised everyone. Love makes people do dangerous things, Katniss, and your father was no different. He made sure the two of them never saw each other again. Cole Everdeen wouldn't even allow them to be friends; he just wasn't willing to chance losing her. Even though she had chosen him, married him, sworn that though she loved Oliver it was not the same way she loved him, Cole knew the way loved worked and he wasn't going to take any chances. Ultimately, Oliver Bronn never got over the loss and took his own life only months after you were born. Drake blamed your father for killing the only family he had left. Cole may not have hand his and on the trigger, but to Drake, he was the reason to which it was pulled."

"But that wasn't my dad's fault!" I scream at him. Because it wasn't. My mom had chosen my dad. If anything Drake should have been upset with her. My dad was only protecting what he loved, insuring that the chances of losing her were slim. No one could blame him for doing that.

"On this," he said, "we can agree, but if there is one thing you should know, it is that when Drake wants something he gets it." His eyes break away from mine at the sound of voices in the house, the police have come in undoubtedly not liking how long I've been in here alone with him.

Boggs turns back to me his grin laced in hate and his eyes dancing with humor. "He's a very patient man, Katniss. You'll do good to remember that." With this warning the room is surged with officers shouting out commands none of which are needed because Boggs already has his hands in the air walking towards the door. Jacob Boggs doesn't fight or even acknowledge the roughness of the officers cuffing his hands and shoving him out the door. The calmness of his demeanor leads me to believe that he thinks we either don't have enough to hold him or that Drake has insured his safety from things such as this.

Even though Prim and Haymitch have safely returned I still couldn't shake my unease. Maybe it was what Boggs intended to do, plant a seed of doubt in my head; he knew me well enough to know that my imagination would feed off of it. A shiver runs through my body as I realize I would never really be able to relax again even though Boggs was behind bars, I wouldn't be able to relax until Drake had joined him there.

The doorbell shakes me from my thoughts. Sae seeming more at ease then any of us hurries to the door.

I don't know who I expected; the police, maybe even the media, but it definitely wasn't Ana. She enters the living room and rushes to me as soon as her eyes find me sitting on the couch. Her face flushed and her eyes were swollen and red, she clearly had been crying. When she throws her arms around me, my stomach drops but I hold her close trying my hardest to comfort her and not let my thoughts run wild with what could have upset her in such a way.

"Ana?" I whisper after a few moments. Her arms loosen around me, she pulls back and looks around the room but it's just the two of us in here. Both Haymitch and Prim left without a word when they saw her and Sae never returned from letting her in.

Her face is dry and I wonder if it was just because she doesn't have any more tears left to cry. As I stare at her, it is not her tear-stained face or the broken look she is wearing that jumps out at me. It is that more than anything, through all the emotions, she looks free.

"I'm sorry," she begins, but I quickly stop her, telling her she has no reason to apologize to me. "Cato would be mad if he knew I came to you but I don't care. You should hear it from one of us, not from the media." Confused I lean back so I can get a better look at her. "Congrats, by the way, on getting enough on Jacob." I nod not sure what else to say because right now I feel like it was too soon to be celebrating anything.

"My dad was arrested today too."

I'm sure the shock is clear on my face; it was the last thing I anticipated she had come here to say. "H-how?"

"It was mostly Cato, with a little help from me too, of course." She smiled, proud of both herself and her brother. "He gained my father's trust again. If there is one thing my father puts above all else, it's family. Cato used that weakness to his advantage." Pride and love for Cato swell up inside me as she goes on, telling how he had caused a scene to lure him in, how he got Ana to plant bugs in all the right places, how Cato took it further by retaking his place by their father's side, regaining his trust and gaining enough information to put Drake away without even touching his involvement with Jacob. Which Cato was sure he brought out in the open anyways. "I didn't think he could do it but anger fueled him." Her voice is sad when she says this and the knot that only Cato's name can seem to cause returns to my stomach. _Anger fueled him. _But what anger? Anger toward his father or someone else? My stomach twisted tighter and I nearly double over from the pain. _Or anger towards me?_

"Where's Cato?" I ask my voice barely above a whisper.

She hesitates, "Home." She shakes her head when she realizes what I'm about to do as my eyes dart to the direction of the door. I have to sit down quickly my hand clutching at my stomach; feeling like I'm going to be sick.

Even though he had a plan this whole time, helping us like I knew he would, how could he want to see me? It's why Ana was here instead of him; it hits me then that I would always be the reason he had turned against his own father. "I'm sorry, he...he refused. He said he can't face you right now."

And how could I blame him?

* * *

Oh, don't be mad, but things don't look too bright for Cato and Katniss. And with only one chapter left will they have enough time to mend things and come together again or are things broken between them forever?

You learned why Drake hated Katniss father so much and that both he and Boggs were arrested, but..will it stay that way? I mean, this is Drake we are talking about… meh, who knows…

Run along and review because your thoughts make me happy. And I will try to have the FINAL chapter finished ASAP!

-CM


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